Hey! Danielle here, just wanting to check in and encourage you through the last few weeks of chilly weather before we can really feel spring.  

Once we open on April 14th (and even before), you might come to Mill Creek and ask us, “can I plant my flowers yet?”  

And our answer will be, “While it's great to start container gardening in the early spring, waiting until mid-May to plant flowers in the ground is a good idea!”  Get a jumpstart on container gardening now + simply bring containers indoors on cold nights to protect them!

We know, waiting isn’t fun BUT there are so many things you can do to prep for spring NOW.  In this blog post, Jennifer does a great job laying out the rewarding tasks that you can perform while you wait for the last frost of the season.  A well-prepped garden + yard is so fun to plant in! 

Spring brings on the warm temperatures and the excitement of outdoor gardening.  It’s finally time to gear up for gardening tasks in preparation for the growing season.  Here are some suggestions for work that can be completed from April to May to get your gardens in tip top shape!

Beginning of April - You can begin planting seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before the last frost, which is usually mid to end of May for our area (Zone 4b).  Be aware that seedlings can get leggy and weak if started too soon.  Start planning your veggie garden.  What will you plant from seed?  What pre-started veggies + herbs will you purchase from Mill Creek – tomatoes, peppers, basil, thyme, etc? The beginning of April is a good time to prune trees and shrubs that bloom on new wood (plants that bloom in the summer).  Other tasks include cleaning and sharpening garden tools, and checking your inventory of potting soil and fertilizer.  Not sure what soil or fertilizer to use?  Stop by + we can chat!

End of April - It’s a good time to begin fertilizing houseplants again.  If you don’t have any fertilizer, we’ve got general + organic fertilizer in stock.   You can begin to clean up and prepare your garden areas by removing old/dead foliage, leaves, mulch, and adding compost to the soil.  In late April or early May, you can direct sow cool-season vegetable seeds, such as brussel sprouts, collards, cabbage, radishes, and onions.  Other vegetables that do well when planted in spring from seed include turnips, potatoes, chard, spinach, and peas among others.

May - Temperatures are typically warm enough to plant perennials.  After Mother’s Day, most vegetable starts can be transplanted outside.  By the end of May, tender annuals like tuberous begonia, dahlia, petunias, canna, and can be planted outdoors.  In addition, May is a good time to mulch plants as moisture preservation + weed deterrent.

At Mill Creek, we’ve got the tools needed to get you started on your spring garden tasks, including garden gloves, hand clippers, knee cushions, hand trowels, fertilizer + soil.  And of course,  all the flowers, veggies, + herbs to make your yard something you'll be proud of!

Stop in + get started!