When the Spring has sprung. When the snow is melting, the birds are chirping, and the bees are buzzing. It’s tempting to want to get a jump on the planting season by putting some seeds in the ground as soon as the thaw begins.
However, it’s important to exercise a little bit of patience and not plant too early in the season. Here’s why.
Frost Damage
One of the biggest dangers of planting too early is the risk of frost damage. If you plant your vegetables before the last frost date for your area and a late frost occurs, it could nip your plants in the bud, so to speak.
All of your hard work would be for nothing, and you’d have to start from scratch.
Too Much Water
Another hazard of planting too early is that young seedlings can be drowned by heavy rains or overwatering.
When planted too early in cool, wet conditions, seedlings can develop fungal diseases that will stunt their growth or kill them outright. It’s much better to wait until conditions are drier before planting so that you can avoid this problem altogether.
Weeds
If you plant too early, you also run the risk of giving weeds a head start on your garden. Weeds love nothing more than spring rain showers and cooler temperatures. They’ll germinate and grow quickly, crowding out your young seedlings in the process.
By waiting to plant until it’s a little warmer and drier outside, you can help prevent this from happening.
Conclusion
With all of that being said, it’s still important to take advantage of those first few weeks of spring when conditions are ideal for planting. Just be patient and don’t put your seeds in the ground too early.
A few extra weeks of waiting will pay off in the end when you have a healthy, productive garden that’s free of frost damage, weeds, and disease.