DENVER — That whole thing about "don't plant anything until Mother's Day" is nonsense. Cool-season flowers and crops develop properly only in cool spring weather.
However, this doesn't mean you can ignore those plants once you have planted them. Monitor the weather and protect them if necessary.
If you're itching to plant, choose pansies. They thrive in cool weather and can withstand freezing temperatures. They hate the heat, so if you wait until Mother's Day, it's almost too late to plant them.
Other cool-season flowers include snapdragon, primrose, cineraria, ornamental kale and sweet alyssum. The latter will transcend the seasons and continue blooming in summer. Consider planting them in plastic pots that can be nestled in showier containers. When low temperatures are forecast, whisk them inside.
Cool-season crops such as lettuce, kale, cabbage and spinach can also be planted outside if protected with row covers or frost cloth. They will develop well throughout April and May. Seeds of these crops can also be started indoors now. They germinate quickly and will be ready to plant outside in a few weeks.
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