Binghamton Gardeners Get Ready To Plant

What I learned from gardening I learned from my Mom.  Mother's Day weekend was the start of planning the Davison family garden.

Mother's Day is almost here and this weekend traditionally is a popular weekend to work out in the yard.  I know when my Mom was alive, it was always a weekend I looked forward to being with my Mom.  Following a big Mother's Day dinner, we would work until sundown.  She always knew what to plant and do to get the most awesome plants out of our little garden.

You can't plant everything right now but early May is safe to plant cold weather vegetable such as swiss chard, peas, beets, lettuce, spinach, kohlrabi and kale.  In fact, I've had my peas and lettuce in for a while now and it's doing very nicely as long as I keep watering the seedlings, as the Binghamton area has had a long period without rain this Spring.

As far as flowers, most perennials can be planted now in the ground.  Watch those tender annuals such as petunias, geraniums and gerber daisies until after the last full moon.  Although the big box stores have lots of tomatoes and peppers.  They will be unforgiving if they get nipped by frost.

I like to support my local greenhouses because I trust that the plants were grown locally or at least regionally.  Most of the plants from the big box stores, originate from the South and the risk of disease, especially for late season blight that had many Southern Tier gardeners cursing these growers and stores.

Weather this is your first garden or your 50th, have fun and enjoy your time together this Mother's Day weekend.  Happy gardening.