Too early to plant? Local nursery manager offers spring gardening tips

JACKSON, Tenn. — Spring has officially sprung, but is it time to start thinking about your gardens?

“It is a little too early to put your annuals in yet,” James Wick, nursery manager at Morris Nursery, said. “Hold off on most of your annuals.”

Trees and flowers will slowly start blooming in the coming weeks, some of which you can go ahead and plant.

“If they’re winter hardy like perennials or shrubs, things like the azaleas,” Wick said.

Others need a little more time for the temperature to rise, but you can make planting a little easier with some planning.

“Right now would be a good time to do your soil preparation,” Wick said. “Till as long as it’s not raining and it’s dried out a little bit.”

But their biggest piece of advice is to wait until the right time to get your plants in the ground so they survive through spring and into summer.

“Just don’t get in a hurry,” Wick said. “April 15 is traditionally our last frost date, so tender material, hold off on that.”

But your flower bed isn’t the only thing to consider with spring time. What about your yard?

“Sod can be laid anytime the soil isn’t frozen. It can be laid year-round,” Wick said.

You can tell if your soil is ready by picking up a clump. It should crumble in your hand.

The latest we’ve had a frost here in Jackson is April 25.