COOPERSBURG, Pa. — While spring is feeling more like summer this week, a nursery in Coopersburg has a few tips on handling the roller coaster forecast.
For more than three decades, Ken Gretz has helped people get the most out of their home gardens. Gretz is the manager at Tilley’s Nursery in Coopersburg.
“Our frost safe date in Pennsylvania is actually May 15, so you need to be wary of the weather and watch for the cold snaps,” Gretz told 69 News.
Despite a week of temperatures in the 80s, a cool down is coming.
“On Monday night it’s going down to 32, Tuesday night it’s going to be 33,” Gretz stated.
Gretz said now is the time to plant, but you’ll want to keep an eye on the weather and how it could affect your plants.
“A lot of people want to start planting their annual flowers and vegetables now. There are many, many plants that will take the cold—lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower, kale. You need to be a little bit more careful with tomatoes, petunias, things like that because you need to protect them from the cold if it was to get cold at night,” Gretz explained.
For first time planters wanting to succeed, Gretz told us, it all starts with the soil.
“I always recommend a good compost or a good starter fertilizer, raised bed mix if growing vegetables. Go to a local garden center where people are better trained and know a little bit more about the plants and vegetables and how to care for them,” Gretz said.
Don’t be afraid to try something new.
“It really makes you feel good when you’re making dinner at night and you’re slicing up your own tomatoes and your own peppers, zucchini. It saves you money in the long run because the grocery stores are obviously very expensive right now,” Gretz concluded.