Safe for Planting

The question is always, when is it safe to plant. Many plants you can safely plant once the ground is thawed. New plants will require watering. So it is good to hold off planting until you can safely and regularly water the new plants. Plants do not like being coated in ice and the ice can cause cell damage, so watering should take place when the temperatures are safe from freezing and the water can be absorbed before the temperatures drop to freezing.

Some perennials are more sensitive when newly planted and should be held off until after the last frost. This also applies to many annuals and vegetable plants. State Extension offices will post average last frost dates for each area, just make sure that you are looking at your specific area. Many people in Utah go by Mother's Day as the average last frost, but in Sevier County and other parts of Central Utah, the average last frost isn't until Memorial Day. A good way to tell is when all the established plants are in full leaf, then it is typically safe to plant. This year, we are having a Memorial Day Cold Snap Surprise. This is why the recommendation for us is to wait until after Memorial Day to plant cold sensitive plants.

If you do have a cold sensitive plant and the temperatures become dangerously cold there are a few tips and tricks you can use to protect your plants. Covering the beds at night works great for smaller plants and gardens. Creating a hot cap, water wall, or other protective enclosure for individual plants can also work well. If you have a larger plant, like a tree, than you can wrap the trunk (though be cautious about leaving a wrap for too long as it can delay growth or encourage insect infestation) or you can string incandescent Christmas lights around the plant and leave them all night long. The heat the lights put off will keep the plant warm throughout the night. Many people will do this to keep Cacti alive in colder regions.

Spring and Fall are great times to install new plants. Be careful about planting in the fall, some plants, like perennials, can require time to get established before the cold hits and will not do well planted in fall. Once the summer temperatures get above 90 degrees, the plants are more likely to go into shock. Most will recover, but you will need to be mindful of the plants and apply extra water (at night) to keep them alive and healthy.