Plants and summer tend to go together. People are outside more, plants are larger, and garden stores are frequented more often. Don’t get me wrong, definitely grow plants during the summer! You should, however, begin to think about plants months in advance.
If plants grow best during summer, why would you think about them earlier?
Winter Growth
The most obvious reason is that not all plants grow during the summer. The heat of summer may be too extreme, and as such, they actually do better during what is generally considered the off-season. Some prominent examples include carrots and broccoli. If vegetables aren’t your thing, don’t worry! Flowers like snowdrops bloom even in the snow.
Furthermore, some plants actually require the cold to grow. We know that spring and summer showcase a wide-variety of flowers, but how do they grow so quickly in time for spring? As it turns out, some species of flowers actually require the cold to germinate. Similar to how some pine trees require fire to germinate, these plants utilize the frosty air to sprout in time for spring.
Spring Growth
Even though there are a lot of reasons to start specific plants in winter, generally speaking, spring is the ideal planting season. For newly started cuttings or offspring, you should wait to put the plants outside until the last frost has settled. Every plant has specific needs, but most succulents and houseplants thrive on the warmth that the summer season provides. By planting these types in spring, we give the plants a chance to establish a strong system for growth.
Learning when to start a plant is essential for its well-being. While many plants can survive through the off-season, you won’t see much growth and they may struggle. If you plant them at the right time, however, they’ll flourish under your care.