Why You May Want To Hold Off on Spring Fever

Oh my goodness, the sun is out at Still Hopes Retirement Home West Columbia, SC! How we have missed our gorgeous blue skies. The sunshine immediately gets your mind in Spring mode and may have you wanting to get out in the yard. After all, what is happier and more vibrant than a bed of tulips to welcome Spring? However, you may want to hold off for just a little bit longer. Chris Spearen, Still Hopes’ Landscape Supervisor, has some advice on when you should start thinking about your planting, and why good things come to those who wait.

“One thing to consider is that March is a little too early to plant your spring vegetables and flowers.” says Chris. “Historically, for this region, you want to hold off on planting your warm season plants until the second week in April. Here in the midlands of South Carolina we are always susceptible to a late freeze or frost, which might damage or even kill warm season vegetables and flowers. Another reason to hold off on planting is that even if we don’t get a late winter/early spring frost, the ground temperatures remain relatively cold until mid to late spring. Many folks think that planting early will give their gardens a head start, where in the reality of the situation, even if we don’t get a frost, these crops are more or less going to sit there, without putting out much growth, until the soil temperatures warm.” he says.

Great advice from someone who keeps Still Hopes’ grounds looking beautiful all year long! So perhaps until April, you can just daydream about what you want to plant this year, and count down the days until we see many of our favorite flowered friends again.