Gardening Patience Can Pay Off

Don't be too eager to plant tender annuals like tomatoes, eggplant, sweet or hot peppers, impatiens, petunias, begonias, coleus and the like in the ground outside. Though May 1 - 10 is the average last frost period for East Haddam and Haddam (plantmaps.com lists frost dates by zip code), plant-killing frosts and cold nights can visit into late May.

Soil remains chilly and damp in cool, wet springs, such as this one; the very conditions young tender annuals dislike. Allow soil to warm a bit before transplanting tomatoes and the like—until night temperatures remain above 55 degrees Fahrenheit.

Around here Memorial Day weekend is traditional tomato planting time. By then soil is generally warm enough to allow transplants to quickly establish root systems and send out new growth.

Anxious to get your hands in the soil earlier? Stick to plants that can take a chill like pansies, salad greens, radishes, peas or perennials hardy to our zone 6 and colder regions.

Looking for more Connecticut-style gardening tidbits? Visit www.joenesgarden.com.

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