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HOME APRIL 2023 2 Distributed by: ©2023 by Conley Media Waukesha County Home is published monthly by Conley Media - Waukesha County, 801 N. Barstow St., Waukesha, WI 53186. Contents of this publication may not be reproduced in any form without the written consent of the publisher. A publication of Conley Media Sales Director: Jim Baumgart 262/513-2621 jbaumgart@conleynet.com Editor: Dan Muckelbauer 262/513-2626 dmuck@conleynet.com Production: Patricia Scheel 262/513-2690 pscheel@conleynet.com Home Volume 12 ■ Number 3 ■ April 2023 Early plants From page 1 children. Lettuce and radishes are also early planting possibilities, according to Sadowski, as well as bok choy. "It's good to start those things early because they get established before the weeds start growing. When you do start weeding, the plants are bigger and don't pull out of the ground so easily," he said. Sadowski noted that in southeast Wiscon- sin, the soil tends to have a high pH level. He recommended soil testing to determine if any supplements would be helpful, such as sulfur. Groth's can do the test, or gardeners can send in a sample for testing, according to Sad- owski. "If they want a more comprehensive test, they can send to the University of Wisconsin Extension," he said, adding that the tests run around $20. "That's a good place to start," he said. For those thinking of flowers, pansies are a great option for cooler early spring tempera- tures, said Haut, at Waukesha Floral & Green- house. "They are extremely hardy. They can with- stand a freeze overnight," she said. For those looking for bulb flowers like daf- fodils or crocuses but did not have a chance to plant them in the fall, the Waukesha green- house does have some planted in supply, according to Haut. Gardeners can purchase the blooming bulbs and put them in the ground when it warms up, she said. She cautioned that although temps are warming during the day, it is still cool at night. "Any other annual flower, it just won't last. Definitely not in the ground," said Haut, rec- ommending potting flowers outside of pan- sies and bringing them into the garage at night until the evening temperatures are warmer. At Heyden's, Crowe recommended planning everything out carefully. She said shoppers will find items in stock now, while selection thins out later in the spring. "Plan your garden, plan your containers. We get the first few warm days and everybody wants to plant tomatoes. Practice patience," she said. Degrees of frost tolerance Frost tolerance of vegetables, according to Zannah Crowe, edu- cational horticulturalist at Hey- den's Gardens: Damaged by light frost ■ Amaranth ■ Beans ■ Corn ■ Cucumbers ■ Eggplants ■ Melons ■ Okra ■ Peppers ■ Pumpkins ■ New Zealand spinach ■ Summer squash ■ Tomatillos ■ Watermelons ■ Winter squash Can withstand light frost ■ Artichoke ■ Bok choy ■ Cauliflower ■ Celery ■ Peas ■ Quinoa ■ Radicchio Can withstand hard frost ■ Arugula ■ Beets ■ Broccoli ■ Broccoli raab ■ Brussels sprouts ■ Cabbage ■ Carrots ■ Collards ■ Kale ■ Kohlrabi ■ Leeks ■ Lettuce ■ Mustards ■ Onions ■ Parsnips ■ Radishes ■ Rutabaga ■ Bunching onions/scallions ■ Sorrel ■ Spinach ■ Swiss chard ■ Turnip

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