April is the perfect time of year to start planning your garden and landscape. Depending on the plants, it may be time to put them in the ground or it may be time to prep your soil.
Some of Maryland’s Best Tips:
- Before you plant, check the date for the last frost as this could affect and harm less-frost tolerant plants. Have that date in mind as part of your planning.
- Check the area and make a note of how much sunshine, shade, and rain it receives.
- Consider planting native Maryland plants as these are what’s best in our ecosystem. You can learn a lot more about native plants at the Maryland Native Plant Society.
- Head to your local nursery with this information in mind along with an idea of what kind of plants you are looking for – flowers, vegetables, hedges, etc.
If you have specific questions about planting in your area, the University of Maryland Extension Offices has a wide variety of experts and can help you better understand your area’s best practices. A list of county agents can be found here.
Shopping local always has benefits like keeping money in the community, and supporting local jobs – in the case of nurseries they are more likely to be ordering plants from mid-Atlantic wholesalers as compared to big box stores. They are also more likely to be experts in Maryland plants and trees and will carry a larger native Maryland plant selection.
To find one of 34 garden centers near you, click here.
You can also find plants and flowers at farmstands and farmers markets!
For monthly gardening tips from the University of Maryland, click the link.
