For many gardeners, Mother's Day is the green light to plant. While it's probably safe to plant many plants -- trees, shrubs, perennials and a vast array of annuals -- proceed with caution.
Heed the yellow light for some touchy plants. Cool nights can harm plants that evolved in hot climates.
If you live in the foothills or mountains, be prepared for late frosts and hold off on planting or keep frost covers ready. Along the Front Range, cool spots such as Golden, Boulder, Arvada, Castle Rock, Loveland and Greeley often experience cooler nights than much of the Denver metro area. Keep that in mind as you put out greenhouse-grown plants.
Cool nights can stunt or even kill some of the touchiest tropical plants. These include coleus, impatiens, sweet potato vine, basil, corn, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, cucumbers and squash. So hold your horses. There's no hurry. If these plants go in in late May and June, they'll develop fast in the heat.
By all means go ahead and shop but be prepared to provide nighttime protection. One of my neighbors keeps his touchy plants in the bed of his truck. Each morning he backs it out of the garage into the driveway for the plants to enjoy the sun. Each evening he pulls his movable nursery back into the garage.
This smart idea also illustrates the importance of exposing plants gradually to the sun. Even plants grown in the sunniest greenhouse need a few days to adjust to full sun. It's worth taking precautions to get your plants off to a safe start.
