What you should & shouldn’t plant during this weekend’s big warm up

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - We’re at that point in the season where a lot of us are anxious to get some color out in the yard, especially with a super warm weekend ahead. But experts say you have to be careful about how and what you plant right now since another cold snap isn’t out of the question.

“Dahlias, and we have some impatiens and petunias,” Susan Spencer, co-owner of Spencer’s Produce, Lawn and Garden Centers in Colorado Springs, listed.

Yes, the flowers can be as impatient as they want. But, Susan says YOU need to hold your horses when it comes to those guys.

Spencer's has been at it for a while (like, since the 1930s) – so, yes, Susan knows what’s up.

“It’s just not time,” she told KRDO. “We need not only warm days but warm nights as well.”

No, don’t start crying (although we could use the moisture). There’s still plenty you can do this weekend!

“Things you could plant right now would be columbine, shasta daisies, beebalm, some yarrow,” Susan listed.

Susan also told KRDO that perennials (those plants that return year after year) get the green light this weekend - as well as other resilient species.

 “Trees and shrubs that have already been hardened off – which means they have been either grown outside, or you’ve conditioned them to be outside at night," Susan explained.

If you don’t have much of a green thumb and you’re still really nervous you’re going to blunder, work on the soil and worry about planting after Mother’s Day. The dirt is almost as tricky as the weather around here.

“It is clay in a lot of areas or sand,” Susan told us. “You can add compost, raise your soil level, do whatever you need to do to get that soil ready. That’s probably the most important thing to get done.”

When in doubt, we’re told the best bet is to just put your flowers in a pot so you can take them inside if it gets too cold.