It was a lovely Saturday, with no need for a jacket. I had to go to a big box hardware store recently and the place was so busy the line to get in snaked around the building. People leaving seemed to all have the same idea — they were hauling bags of garden soil and flats of plants. Unless these folks have a greenhouse or other means of protecting their purchases, I thought, they’re going to have some dead tomato babies tonight. That evening, temperatures plunged and the furnace kicked on.
The average last freeze date in Indianapolis is April 11-20, but it is still getting cold at night. Soil temperatures are still low, meaning all those cold-sensitive plants are going to suffer if they go into the ground. It’s just too early to start your Virus Victory Garden just yet. It isn’t too early to start planning, however.
The general rule is to wait until Mother’s Day (May 10) to plant tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, melons, and other vegetables. The same goes for flowers, with the exception of pansies and other cold-tolerant pretties. You are better off amending soil, cleaning containers, getting dead leaves out of your gutters and hedges, and sharpening and cleaning your tools right now. If you are starting from scratch this year, call a professional to till the space and add amendments like compost and manure so that your beds will be ready next week. Putting clear plastic sheets over the soil will “solarize” it and help warm it up. Black plastic is best used to cut down weed growth, but doesn’t warm the soil as well.
If you were planning on waiting to the last minute to get gardening, be warned. Online gardening companies are being swamped with orders right now, and you might experience delays getting supplies and plant starts. You may also encounter delays getting someone to till the soil for you, as demand for services has increased.
If you are planning a Virus Victory garden, only plant what you know you and your family will eat. If you are the only person in the household who likes green peppers, for instance, only plant one or two for yourself. Ask yourself how likely it will be that you’ll really can or freeze all your homegrown produce when (or if) the shutdown is lifted this summer and your life goes back to “normal.”
Cool weather vegetables include cabbage, lettuce, spinach, collards, radish, and snap peas can be planted early, but keep an eye on those overnight temperatures. Indiana weather may still have surprises in store for us! If you must cover plants to protect them from frost, don’t use plastic — an old sheet tented over the plants is better and remove it first thing in the morning.
Resist the urge to buy lots of plants that will need to be brought in every night until mid-May. Big box retailers love the early bird gardeners because they make twice as much money from you as you trudge back to re-buy plants after all your hard work died on the vine, so to speak!