Mail Order Plants

It is early spring and the mail order plants have started to arrive. When can I plant them outdoors?

Let the weather and the condition of your garden be your guide. Dormant plants can be moved outdoors as soon as the soil is workable. Those that started growing in transit or at the garden center need a little special care. Their tender growth can be damaged if the temperatures plummet below freezing. You can pot up tender plants and grow them indoors in a sunny window or under artificial lights. They can safely be moved outdoors after the danger of frost has passed. Or gradually introduce them to the outdoors providing protection from freezing temperatures. I use season extending fabrics to help me with this transition. Sold as Harvest-Guard, Grass Fast or ReeMay these spun fabrics let air light and water through while trapping the heat around the plant. I place my plants in a protected location, cover with the fabric and have good success getting them through this transitional period.