Weather permitting, April means gardening and area growers and retail garden shops have advice on what and how to plant for everyone from beginners to experienced planters.
Jerry Sullivan, owner of Black Diamond nursery since 1953, suggests that beginner growers keep their garden plot small.
“The best advice I try to give beginners is don’t get a garden too big to take care of,” Sullivan said.
Sullivan recommends a 10-foot-by-10-foot or 10-foot-by-15-foot plot, as anything bigger requires weeding and “doing it all.” Planters should grow the things that are easy to grow, Sullivan said.
A good place to start is with seed vegetables, like radishes, carrots and string beans, he said. Then, growers can graduate to vine vegetables, like tomatoes, cucumbers and watermelons, which require larger plots.
Gene Klotz, owner of Klotz Floral Gift & Garden Center in Bowling Green, said April is the best time for cool weather plants like lettuce, cabbage and herbs. He is also a part of the Maumee Valley Growers Association (MVGA).
“Typically, your annuals and perennials should wait till the end of the month because we’re waiting to see what this weather will do,” Klotz said.
Klotz doesn’t like to push people to plant too soon because most plants do better in warmer weather.
If people are itching to plant now, Klotz recommends cabbage, lettuce, broccoli, onions and potatoes. Asparagus likes the warmer weather, and gardeners should hold off on tomatoes and peppers too, he said. It’s also still too cool for annual flowers like marigolds or petunias.
Klotz recommends visiting an independent garden center for information. Most are family operated and have good advice for growers, he said. His family has owned Klotz Floral Garden Center since 1918.
Jill Bench of Bench’s Greenhouse and Nursery said what to grow and when all depends on what a planter wants. Herbs can now be grown inside, but perennials are not ready for the hard ground yet. If they’ve been growing inside under “beautiful” conditions, they won’t do well if taken outside, she said. However, simple plants can currently be grown outside.
“Beginner herbs are easy,” said Bench, who is president of the MVGA. “They like it dry and thrive on neglect and they start in the kitchen window. They need water but don’t like to be over-watered.”
Bench’s garden center sells three potted plant combinations in 14-inch containers. The plants can be re-potted in the store by the buyer or taken home and re-potted.
Bench’s Greenhouse has planted 14,000 hanging baskets, thousands of pots of perennials and hundreds of annuals, Bench said.
Bench’s also has vegetable and herb starters and cactus in its faery garden.
“What to grow is weather dependent,” Bench said. “Typically, a frost-free date is around Mother’s Day.”
Her advice to planters: “Grow local and buy local. April is not predictable enough not to plant inside, but by May you should trim roses and cut down grasses. Of course, the ‘Farmers’ Almanac’ says it’s time to go cut things back and get ready for the spring.”
Bench’s Greenhouse offers a free “Ready? Let’s Grow!” seminar every Saturday to help customers “get into the garden frame of mind,” Bench said.
Upcoming plant exchanges include:
- May 2: Toledo Plant Exchange, Toledo-Lucas County Main Library parking garage, 325 N. Michigan St. Plant drop-off 8:30-10 a.m. with speakers 9-9:50 a.m. and exchange open from 10 a.m. until the plants are gone, which is typically less than an hour.
- May 8-10: Toledo Botanical Garden’s annual plant sale.
