
It’s spring. And as usual, metro Denver has rolled into whiplash mode — the uncomfortable period during which we can swing from 50 degrees to snowfall and back in a single day.
It can leave gardeners massaging their necks and scratching their heads about what to do about tender plants just poking up from the dirt.
One of those jarring spring weeks is upon us. The National Weather Service reports highs in the 50s but snowfall Tuesday night, Wednesday morning and Friday night. So while you’re throwing on and off layers, don’t forget that your plants need a hand to put on their own mini coats.
Patti O’Neal, horticulture and master gardener program coordinator for the CSU Extension office in Jefferson County, said there is a bright spot for gardeners this week as the lowest of the lows should only be 32 degrees. But for helicopter plant parents, she offered these three tips to keep your flowers and landscape loved and, more importantly, alive.
Cover up
If the forecast proves up, and the temperatures dip only to 32, most of your plants should be safe, O’Neal said. The ones you do want to worry about are the tender things just coming up, especially cool-season crops, such as the…