When Should I Start Planting for Spring? How to Time It Right for Your Garden to Burst Into Life

Although it's still winter, the solstice is behind us, and longer days are in sight. There will soon be more time to spend outside enjoying the luxury of your balcony or even your beautiful courtyard garden. So, you might be considering when to start planting for spring?

Spring planting generally depends on the last frost dates in your region. It will also be dictated by what you want to plant while container gardening. Once you know these, you can find the best time to sow seeds, seedlings, or plants, whether growing flowers or food.

Some species, such as tender annuals, will be destroyed by a hard frost, while kale, cabbage, and other winter vegetables will require a period of cold 'stratification' to trigger growth. Whatever you want to grow in your yard, our gardening experts can guide you to the best time to plant for spring.

When to Start Planting for Spring

The first step is deciding what you want to grow. If you want spring flowers as soon as possible, consider frost-resistant plants for containers. Summer-blooming varieties generally require warmer planting temperatures. Knowing whether you want flower-filled beds or an abundant vegetable patch–or both, will direct you to the best planting times.

In colder climates, many vegetables and salads, such as broccoli, cauliflower, eggplants, arugula, lettuce, and more, can be started from seed indoors this month, ready for transplanting when it's warmer. "To get a few weeks ahead of the outdoor calendar, gardeners can start seeds inside from February and transplant seedlings into the garden when they’re ready," says Kate Copsey, author, Month-by-Month Gardening, New York & New Jersey, available on Amazon.

Kate continues: "Early-season vegetables can be started in seed trays this month, as well as kale, chard, mustard, and spinach. Tender flowers and vegetables are usually transplanted outside in May or June, when all danger of frost has passed, whereas some hardier plants can be transplanted a little earlier."

"Perennials can also be started from seed now," adds Kate. "Check the information on the seed packet to determine how long the perennial takes to germinate and grow, as well as the best conditions for growing seedlings. Some perennials need to be cold-treated for a few weeks; others like to be uncovered and exposed to light to germinate. Perennials often take three to six weeks or even longer to germinate, so be patient." If you want to add pretty perennials to your courtyard or balcony garden, then these Perennial Flower Digitalis seeds from Amazon would be a perfect touch of beauty for your space.

"In most regions with cold winters, outdoor spring planting is best done when the risk of frost has ended," says ecological landscape designer, Kim Eierman, founder, Eco Beneficial. "Other issues to consider are day length, soil temperature and ambient temperature, plus the plant species tolerance for cold.

Kim continues: "Cool-season annual veggies, such as lettuce, spinach and mâche, are more tolerant of colder weather and shorter days. Woody plants, such as trees, shrubs and vines, as well as herbaceous perennials do better with warmer soil and air temperatures, and longer day length."

For woodies and herbaceous perennials, Kim says it's best to "plant outside in spring when soil temperature is consistently 50°F or higher, and preferably before new plant growth begins. Other than wetland plantings, avoid planting in wet or soggy soil, which can compact soil and ruin healthy soil structure.

"For vegetable gardeners, the Farmer’s Almanac planting calendar is an excellent resource – just type in your zip code. Although it’s also important to check local weather reports, since climate change may complicate the usual timing," adds Kim.

Why Does Timing Matter?

Whatever your garden ideas, it's worth remembering that plants are adapted to nature's cycles. Planting at the right time helps them to become strong and healthy. Even species that are cold-hardy in your region may be killed by an unexpected frost when they are young and not yet established.

"Frost kills plants when the water in their cells freezes," explains garden designer and ecological horticulturalist Rebecca McMackin, ambassador for The American Horticultural Society. "When the water crystallizes and expands, it bursts plant cells and, in large enough quantities, can cost "frost burn" or kill the plant.

"Certain plants have methods to protect themselves: from proteins in cells that lower the water's freezing temperature, to hairs like those around the buds of magnolia trees. Personally, I plant very little in spring," continues Rebecca. "I do the vast majority of my perennial and woody planting in fall. When we plant in early fall, roots have a better chance to get established over the winter, and can adapt to summer droughts easier than if plants are planted in the spring.

However, Rebecca says there are plants that make sense to plant in Spring, "such as annuals and annual food crops like tomatoes and lettuce. Evergreen shrubs are also happiest being planted in late spring or early summer, especially when they are large," explains the expert. "This allows the root systems to adapt to soil moisture levels before they go into winter, when they have to maintain moisture to leaves even in freezing temperatures."

Want to start planting? These Grow Your Own Kits from Amazon are a great way to get you started and let your garden flourish with endless beauty. We also love these Simply Garden Lettuce leaves from Amazon.

Rebecca McMackin

Rebecca McMackin is an ecological horticulturist and garden designer. She lives in the woods of Connecticut, writing, lecturing, and designing the occasional garden. Rebecca holds a M.Sc. in Biology from the University of Victoria, and a M.Sc. in Landscape Design from Columbia University. She works to educate people on ecological landscape management and pollination ecology and is part of the Lifelong Learning Program at the AHS.

FAQs

What Happens If You Plant Too Early In Spring?

Planting outside too early in spring can be detrimental to your plants — they may never become established, and an unexpected frost may kill some species.

"Avoid planting outside too early in spring — low soil temperature may prevent successful root development, and cold ambient temperatures may result in frost damage, stunted growth or greater susceptibility to diseases," explains Kim Eierman. "Small, tender herbaceous plants tend to be more sensitive than woody plants to cold air temperatures, frosts and unexpected snow storms in spring."

There you have it, timing matters when planting in spring, so ensure you keep this in mind when tending to your garden and adding precious blooms to the space.

You can also keep an eye out for flowers you can plant into borders in March, to spruce up your garden space and give it the much-deserved love it needs after the winter frost.