Minnesota gardening season off to a rough start due to cold weather
Shoppers look for plants while the weather outside is windy, wet, and cold.
INVER GROVE HEIGHTS, Minn. (FOX 9) - At this point, who isn’t fed up with Minnesota’s latest recent round of cold weather that just never seems to end? April is often the month when people can get out in their yards for planting season, but sadly, that doesn’t seem to be the case this year.
In Minnesota, we only get a short time to enjoy beautiful flowers and flourishing plants. However, the below-average temperatures mean gardeners are behind, and they’re itching to get their seeds and plants in the ground.
"Oh my gosh, I'm frustrated. A lot of people are frustrated that you can't get outside and plant and there's a lot of pent-up demand," said the "Garden Guy" Dale K.
Because of the weather, Gertens Garden Center in Inver Grove Heights isn't seeing its usual sales for this time of year, and customers haven't been able to break out the shovels and shears.
"No, it's too soon. It's just been too cold. It hailed yesterday," said customer Debbie Peterson.
So this year, there will be a more compressed season where the planting can’t start until May.
"Just watch nighttime temperatures for planting. That's really because you can have warm days, and then it gets cooler at night," Dale K said.
The Garden Guy is offering some sage advice for shoppers and gardeners galore.
"A lot of people follow the calendar. What I do is follow soil temperature. It's a lot better guide and accurate guide of how the season is unfolding," he explained.
And it seems customers are following those plant words of wisdom.
"I tested the soil -- 52 degrees yesterday. So it's time to work on the crabgrass," Peterson said.
So let's hope Mother Nature puts the "petal" to the metal and delivers a spring that's well worth the wait.
Dale K said Sunday night and Monday night would be good nights to bring plants and flowers like pansies indoors.