Gardening

Gardening is a delight… sometimes.

There’s nothing worse than falling for Kentucky’s infamous spring bait-and-switch: the perfect day for planting presents itself only to be followed by a surprise cold snap that ruins all your hard work. Timing is crucial for would-be green thumbs. Setting your plants out at the correct time ensures a long growing or blooming season while still avoiding the dreaded wilt and burn of a tricky frost. Old timers say that you should wait to plant tender seedlings and delicate annuals until either after Derby day or Mother’s Day (with the latter being the safe bet). While that’s absolutely good advice, there is still much to be done in the garden before that magic date...

Early April

◊ Transplant large trees and shrubs ◊ Prune evergreens ◊ Plant fruit trees and shrubs ◊ If you fertilize your lawn, use a spring-type ◊ Rotate indoor plants

Spring Sprouts!

Don't get fooled by Kentucky's cold snaps...

Mid-April

◊ Spread high nitrogen fertilizer around evergreens ◊ Plant summer flowering bulbs ◊ Plant annual seeds ◊ Plant root crops ◊ Plant peas, cauliflower, cabbage, beets, carrots, etc.

Late April/Early May

◊ Deadhead spring flowering bulbs ◊ Prune forsythia once it has finished flowering ◊ Divide perennials ◊ Fertilize roses ◊ Set aquatic plants ◊ Plant beans and corn

Once the Danger of Frost Has Passed (Second week or so of May)

◊ Transplant your seedlings! ◊ Plant summer flowering bulbs (Cannas must wait until now) ◊ Plant summer flowering perennials ◊ Plant hearty annuals ◊ Stake tall flowers ◊ Control slugs and snails ◊ Get weeding! ◊ Most summer vegetables can be planted now. Wait another week for tomatoes, squash, cucumbers and peppers.