MIDWEST SPRING PLANTINGS

Ever wonder why your plants die in the spring, you buy these pretty flowers from a store, plant them and then boom they die, dang it! WHYYYY? I WANT TO ENJOY MY FLOWERS during these chilly and still little frosty days of spring!!!

In the midwest, our springs are stunning, with the pops of snowdrops and crocus to remind us the winter is at bay. Yet we still have cold weather in spring, it really helps to understand the difference between the annuals. So you can enjoy your flowers longer!

There are warm-weather annuals and annuals that thrive in the cold weather so let us focus on the cold for now.

The trick is the weather, we at Floral Bar are just as eager to plant as you, but we know we have to listen to mother nature, she doesn't care what we want!

Pay attention to the temperature, for cool weather annuals, it is best if it is 40 degrees and above. When and how to start planting cool-season annuals is slightly tricky, did you check the night temperatures? Even a dip under 35 will cause the buds of your spring flowers to freeze, meaning fewer flowers, that's no floral bar.

We recommend starting with pansies, violas and primulas are the most cold-tolerant and can even take a dusting of snow. Cool-Season Annuals thrive even when nighttime lows hit freezing. Most demand plenty of moisture so be ready to water during these chilly months.

Once it starts to warm up a bit then we add a few more spring annuals that do not mind the cold but hate the frost.

When daytime temperatures regularly start getting to 80° and 85°F, cool-season annuals start to blow-out and fade, their flowers shrivel and blooming stops.

Warm weather annuals,

Plant warm-season seedlings outside after all danger of the frost has passed. This is around May 15th for most Northern midwest states.

Warm-season annual flowers and edible plants are more like we humans—almost warm-blooded, so to speak. They will not tolerate any frost and have to be planted after all danger of frost is passed. They need warm soil and warm air to take off, so their seeds should not be planted directly in the soil until the middle of May, or even early June.

Warm-season annuals are a little less complicated. These are the annuals that are standbys of the American summer flower garden: impatiens, marigolds, petunias, geraniums, annual salvia, celosia, zinnias, and more. Many are natives of the tropics, and so it follows that they like it warm. Frost kills them. And even if there's no frost, planting warm-season annuals too early in wet, cold soil makes them sulk and do nothing. Plus, for these warmth-lovers, this damp time is a welcome letter for diseases and pests.

Hope this helps you, garden gurus.

XO,

Leah

Topics, questions let us know leah@floralbar.com