Don't be fooled by early warm weather, says master gardener

Though the warm weather may tempt you to get busy planting vegetables, master gardener Brian Minter says don't be fooled.

"Unfortunately, so many folks inexperienced with gardening will say 'it's warm, let's go plant everything,'" said Minter during CBC Radio One's B.C. Almanac. 

"And then things start going sideways."

Minter said you should hold off planting veggies until the night-time temperature is consistently above 10 C — typically toward the end of May.

Risk losing crops

If you don't, Minter said you could seriously damage the tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and other vegetables you planted too early because the weather shifted back to being cooler.

In some cases, Minter warned, you could lose your crops entirely.

"Timing is everything. We're rushing a little bit too soon. And waiting is always better."

Minter also stressed the importance of using properly aerated soil, something amateur gardeners often forget in their excitement to get busy in the garden.

"Make sure your soil is open, porous and light," he said.

He used the example of bare-root raspberries and strawberries, plants that will struggle to grow in hard soil. 

He said prepare your planting soil well by digging and rotavating it up. This will allow oxygen into the soil and your plants will perform better.

The aerated soil problem also persists this time of year when people start planting trees, he said.

"A lot people say they're just going to dig a hole and stick it in," said Minter. "I see this too often, you dig a hole and plant the tree, and that's not working."

Minter said you need to dig a hole for your tree that is at least twice as wide and twice as deep as the tree roots. Another common mistake people make, said Minter, is removing the burlap sack that often covers a purchased tree's roots.

The proper method is to leave the sack on, put the tree in a larger hole than you think you need, and surround it with aerated soil.

"Leave those sacks on, the roots go right through it. Only cut the string right around the neck of the tree once it's planted."

And as always, warned Minter, don't think rain will do your watering for you. Water thoroughly and deeply.

With files from B.C. Almanac