Experts Suggest To Wait On Gardening For Now In Buffalo

It has been spring for a couple of weeks now.  We can see the grass and we're anxious to get started gardening.  But experts say to hold off for now.

We get it.  Winter was long and the entire time you were looking out the window making plans for the second the snow melts.  April is almost over, but if you really want to have a successful garden this summer, experts are suggesting that you might still want to hold off for a couple of weeks.

When is the best time to start gardening in Western New York?

If now isn't the right time, then when is?  That is a bit of a tricky question because technically, you can start your garden now, but whatever you do should still be indoors.  You can build garden boxes and start your plants inside. However, if you want to start outdoor gardening it should wait at least until the last freeze happens.  According to The National Weather Forecast, "The average date of the last frost is near the end of April in the Buffalo metro area, but in mid May well inland."

So while the last freeze date is coming soon, we still have a few weeks to be sure.

Can you plant anything before the last freeze?

There are some plants that actually do better if they're planted in the cool air and even before the last freeze of the season.  According to HGTV, those plants include things like kale, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, mustard and collard greens, turnips and cabbage.

When should you start planting?

The rule has almost always been after Memorial Day here in Western New York.  You're going to want to get your plants in the ground outside to soak up all that Buffalo sunshine around the third weekend in May.  So while it's not here quite yet, it'll be here soon!