Belated happy Earth Day and Arbor Day

Belated Happy Earth Day and Arbor Day, it was a busy week. The average last frost is mid-May and many people use after Mother's Day as the time when it is safe to put plants outside. When the weather is warm and sunny it is tempting to be outside, my guideline is when night temperatures remain above 50. There are two categories of plants to move outside, plants purchased and houseplants, in both cases you need to consider the environment they were in and the environment they are going out to. Nurseries and garden centers have many plants available now including flowers, herbs, and vegetables besides shrubs and trees. Advantages to buying this way is that you can buy just the number of plants you want (two basil plants), and can plant them individually just where you want them. Plants on display are generally getting full sunlight, whatever night temperatures may be, and regular watering. If you buy now and plan to wait to plant, make sure the young plants are protected from wind, are kept watered, and are covered if night temperatures approach freezing. If you plant now keep in mind that the soil temperature is still cold and plants will take some time to acclimate before they starting growing. Houseplants will experience a large change in conditions, from always warm and moderate light to variable temperatures and bright sunlight. Within a house there are different light regimes since south facing windows will provide more light than north facing. Most of my lower light, north facing, plants will move outside to under a tree where they will get filtered light. Of course the trees have to have leaves which many do not yet have, so those plants need to stay inside until the trees can provide shade. Once temperatures are warm enough, most of the sunroom plants will be moved outside. Ideally they are hardened off by exposing them for a few hours a day to outside conditions, especially if overcast sky is predicted. If put directly outside in full sun their leaves will sunburn, turning a bronze color and sometimes dying. One large tree in the sunroom is too big to be hauling in and out to acclimate it to outside conditions so it waits until several days of overcast/rain are predicted then it is moved outside, put on its side for pruning and dead branch removal, then uprighted, and tied to the house. Amaryllis have been blooming inside for a while, and continue to. Once they finish blooming they produce long leaves. They vacation in the garden to recharge their bulbs. Since they are happy in their pots right now there is less hurry to get them planted. When they get moved outside to the garden they are given fresh potting soil and their leaves are tied a bit to prevent flopping around. New leaves will continue to sprout and some plants will flower. Bulbs are lifted and repotted in the fall and can last many years. Plan to visit garden centers soon for best choice and availability. I have a shopping list ready and the herb group I am a member of will be visiting Mulberry Creek in Sandusky and the Amish greenhouses around Shiloh, Fun, yay! Susan Carty is professor emerita at Heidelberg University.