Spring so far has been so cold. Will it ever be warm enough or safe enough to plant shrubs, flowers and vegetables?
This is the coldest late winter and early spring I have experienced in 20 years. My guess is our season is three weeks later than normal. However, I suspect the last frost date will be pretty normal — around mid-April in Vancouver. We will not have to wait until then to plant many things.
All trees and shrubs can be planted now. I planted several blueberry and raspberry plants last week. Perennial flowers can be planted now also.
Annual flowers and vegetables can be divided into two groups: hardy and tender. Hardy flowers and vegetables can be planted ahead of the average last frost date. Hardy flowers and vegetables are not damaged until temperatures reach the mid-20s. Hardy vegetables fit neatly into an easy to remember group based upon the part of the plant which we eat. If we eat the roots, stems, leaves or flower buds it is a hardy vegetable with two exceptions. Potatoes and sweet potatoes fit in the tender group. Potatoes can actually be treated as if they are in the hardy group because seed potatoes do not come up above the ground for three to four weeks after planting.
