Spring brings about new growth and joy each year. A question we often get this time of year is, ‘My plant died, can you replace it?’ Our go-to response before mid-May is Patience! Plants will emerge at different times, for different reasons, and here are the top 3 reasons to have patience with your plants in spring!
First, plants require different environments to grow. In Nebraska, we have all the weather extremes. Plants like daffodils, tulips, groundcover phlox, and magnolia trees will typically be the first plants to show their flowers. Plants such as hardy hibiscus, rose of sharon, little bluestem and most of the switchgrasses will typically not peak their heads out of the ground until after Mother’s Day or Memorial Day! So, depending on the type of plant you have, some may emerge earlier than others.
Second, the weather can play a significant role in the spring emergence. One item, particularly detrimental to our landscapes, is the constant freeze-thaw cycles in spring and fall. Pair that with a dry winter and early spring, and you have a potential landscape disaster! So, with that set to the side, you may have plants that emerge early (listed above), which is all good if we don’t experience a hard freeze, thus ruining the flowers. So, you may have the early season flowers all gorgeous and putting on their best show — enjoy it! I wonder if the latecomers have tapped into Mother Nature’s vibe and understand we have the temperature ups and downs and know better than to sprout up, too early?
Lastly, the location will play a role in the spring push. Warmer sites like, around concrete, near a brick foundation on the east, south, or west side of a building, a south-facing slope, will tend to warm up more quickly than their northern counterparts. These sites may bring the typically late plants to develop more quickly, which can be damaging if we have freezing temps!
So, we are at the beginning of May and as gardeners, landscapers, and outdoor enthusiasts, we have the patience to wait and see what Mother Nature brings! If you have any questions, be sure to stop by our garden shop, email or call Nebraska Nursery & Color Gardens!