Dr. Grow: Definitely maybe

The extremely mild weather of the last few weeks has given gardeners "The Fever." They want to get their hands in the soil and plant something. You can tell they have "The Fever" by the questions they ask. "Can I plant my tomatoes now? Is it too late for potatoes? Is it too late to seed my lawn?" All of these questions can be handled by my granddaughter's answer to everything. "Maybe, maybe not." (Do you think she'll grow up to be a politician?) The correct answer within maybe or maybe not will depend upon what plants you are growing, where they are growing and what kinds of plant protection devices you have access to.

Let me explain what I am talking about. Some plants like pansies and the cole crops, broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage, can withstand frost.

On the other hand, begonias, impatiens and tomatoes shiver when the weatherman says the temperature will get below 40 degrees. If left unprotected, even a light frost will damage them. Plant selection early in the season will often determine success or failure.

Planting location is another factor that determines how early in the season one can set out plants. My house is on a ridge top in a wooded area. When frost is predicted, I often get up early and see no frost at all in my front yard. On the other hand, as I drive down the lane, I see the valley below covered with a glistening white blanket.

Cold air is heavier than warm air. At night, the cold air settles into valleys. The temperature at the soil surface may be 5 to 10 degrees cooler in a valley than it is on the adjacent ridge top. If I plant early in the season, I have better success planting near my house on the ridge top. I usually plant in the valley two to four weeks later. I know several gardeners who have friendly wagers with their neighbors as to who can produce the earliest tomato, potato, etc. Because their pride is on the line, they have devised ways to protect the plants in their garden. For example, they cover their plants at night with a grow cover. Their plants are protected from frost and soil heat keeps them from freezing.

In addition to grow covers, many gardeners use hot caps, walls of water or cold frames to cover small plants. These devices provide just enough shelter to protect young plants from late spring frosts and freezes. I have some gardener friends who like the challenge of growing non-hardy plants without the use of plant protection devices. They create niches in their landscape that naturally protect the more succulent plants from harsh weather. A solid fence protects plants from harsh winds. Overhead canopies provided by evergreen trees reduce exposure to frost. Fallen leaves from deciduous trees create natural blankets that keep plants toasty during early spring cold snaps.

Paul Schnare of Cape Girardeau has been in the lawn and garden business for more than 20 years. He's an adjunct professor in horticulture at Southeast Missouri State University.