(Originally posted: April 9, 2021)
Spring is upon us and gardeners everywhere are chomping at the bit to get their hands dirty and turn winter dreams into reality. With all this unbridled enthusiasm in the air during the early days of spring, it is no surprise that the most common question to arise in conversation tends to be: “how soon can I start planting?”.
My answer, to the shock (and sometimes horror) of many people, is “if you can get a shovel in the ground, then you are eligible to plant!”
Now this may seem like a nice concise answer and the end of the blog post, but by now I think you know that I am not exactly a short-winded writer. Like all gardening statements, this one comes with some caveats that we should really take a few moments to discuss.
Soil Workability vs. Suitability
While the lack of frozen soil is an indication that the ground is workable and able to receive some new plant material, the question becomes whether or not it is suitable to be working in the garden. One common condition that makes soil unsuitable for gardening (which can occur during any season but is frequently a problem after snowmelt and spring rains) is that it is too wet. Trampling on wet soil is an easy way to cause soil compaction (bad!), not to mention that planting in waterlogged soil does nothing to start new plants off on the right foot! In fact, it is a good way to essentially drown them.
Not sure if your soil is too wet? Try the ball test! Scoop up a handful of soil with a trowel and squeeze it into a ball. Now ask:
Does the soil leave a mud impression on my hand/does the soil stick to my fingers?
Do I see free water squishing out from the soil when I squeeze it?
Does the ball remain in tact if thrown in the air?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, the soil is too wet to be worked and it should be allowed to dry out to the point that it is able to crumble after being squeezed into a ball, or break apart when thrown into the air. Obviously if you garden in heavy clay soil, the ball test is much less straightforward as clay particles have an uncanny ability to stick together. Therefore, in the case of clay soils, the presence of water/soil staining on fingers becomes a very useful observation when determining soil moisture levels.
The ‘Ball Test’ (clockwise from top left): a scoop of soil is collected from about 12” down, it is squeezed into a ball, the ball cracks upon the opening of my hand, the ball completely crumbles after tossing it in my hand. Visually the soil is not excessively wet and I have very little staining my fingers. Looks like I’m good to go!
Suitability of Plants
While dormant trees, shrubs, and perennials can be planted at the first opportunity that soil conditions will allow, plants that have leafed out may not be ready for the ‘outside world’ if they have spent the entire winter and early spring being coddled in the highly controlled environment of a greenhouse. They are wimpy and need an adjustment period to acclimate to the harsher conditions (more intense sunlight, presence of wind, and temperature swings) that are found outdoors before they are permanently relocated to a garden home. At this time of year, when purchasing plants, you can ask the garden centre if the plants are ready to be transplanted outside; alternatively you can play it safe and ‘harden off’ the plants on your own by gradually increasing their daily time spent outdoors (bringing them indoors at night), and gradually increasing their exposure to sunlight over the course of about a week. A quick Google search on “hardening off” will provide you with numerous reputable resources if you are not sure how to do it.
Beautiful in dormancy, Cornusstolonifera ‘Arctic Fire’ awaits relocation to a garden home where they can continue to shine!
As a final note on plant suitability, we must keep in mind that while temperatures are warming up quickly, there is still a risk of frost for weeks, or even months to come. Plants that cannot tolerate hard frosts should not be planted outside until at least the last frost date has been reached. With that said, there is still the probability of frost after this date so it is best to wait longer before installing tender plants. To illustrate this point: the last spring frost date in my area (according to The Old Farmer’s Almanac) is listed as April 20, but it is standard practice to not widely plant tender summer annuals until mid to late May to be ‘on the safe side’. So going back to my blanket statement about planting when the soil is workable… well that comment has absolutely no validity when it comes to tender plants!
Colourful annuals have no place in the garden for at least another month and a half!
Well, for me, annuals are a distant speck on my radar at the moment, but I just happen to have big plans for adding trees, shrubs, and perennials to the garden this year. With the arrival of the planting season in my neck-of-the-woods, it is now time for me to make my shopping lists, do some stretches, and get ready to work the dirt. (Yeehaw!)
Additional Resource:
United States Department of Agriculture. Natural Resources Conservation Service. No date. Program Aid Number 1619. Estimating Soil Moisture by Feel and Appearance. https://www.cdpr.ca.gov/docs/county/training/inspprcd/handouts/soil_moist_feel_test.pdf (GREAT PHOTOS!)
