Cold Temperatures Freeze Gardening Season

By Mark Geary, Reporter

Tools

By Mark Geary

Story Created: Apr 13, 2008 at 5:56 PM CST

Story Updated: Apr 14, 2008 at 10:56 AM CST

MARION – All of this cold weather is freezing the start of the gardening season. Now, outdoor fans are eager for a warm-up.

"I'm 71-years-old and I've never seen spring come this late," Robert Ciesleck said.

Ciesleck and his family look forward to gardening together every spring. This year, they're not sure when they're going to be able to get their hands dirty.

"When it starts getting into mid-March and April, then things should change fast, but not this year," he said.

On a typical Sunday afternoon, the Culver’s greenhouse would be packed with people, but the recent cold temperatures scared away a lot of customers.

"All the plants are right here. All you can do is come and look for now. I'd hate to take any home quite yet, but it's getting really tempting,” customer Rhonda Kaczinski said.

Cold temperatures aren't the only problem. This winter's snow and ice storms drenched the soil and left it soggy.

"If you can pick up a handful of soil and still wring moisture out of it, it's too wet to plant," Culver’s employee Sherri Baldonado said.

Even though it might be too cold for flowers to take root, Culver's employees recommend buying plants now and storing them in a warm place like a garage.

"I have a saying for people -- If you see it and you like it, take it now, because it may be gone the next time you come back," Baldonado said.

Ciesleck and his family eventually found a few plants they like, and they plan to visit the greenhouse again soon.

Even if we do get some warmer weather, a spring frost is still possible all the way until mid-May. Culver's employees try to warn all of their customers about that possibility.

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