Talking Plants

Jillian Patrie | University of Minnesota Yard and Garden Extension

Warmer temperatures have melted the snow cover in the area and may have initiated some spring bulbs and other plants to wake up.  You may be wondering if it is too early for plants to emerge from the ground and what happens when the temperatures drop below freezing or it snows?
If spring bulbs have started to emerge, not to worry!  Most spring blooming bulbs have adapted to cold temperatures and will survive temperatures around or just below freezing (32”), when left uncovered and even if it snows.
Though the recent temperatures have been warm, do not uncover plants just yet!  March is an unpredictable month in Minnesota, and temperatures can be a roller coaster ride.  Leave plant covers, tree protectors, leaves and other plant protection in place until temperatures are consistently warm (mid to late April).  In addition to protecting plants, leaf litter is a common place for insects to overwinter and removing or disturbing plant cover before insects emerge can impact insect populations.
If you use crabgrass pre-emergent in the spring, timing is key to getting good control.  Depending on the consistency of warmer temperatures, crabgrass germination could be on the horizon.  A good tip for crabgrass pre-emergent application is watching for forsythia flowering, as crabgrass germination occurs around the same time.  For more crabgrass pre-emergent application timing information check out this article from the UMN turfgrass department https://turf.umn.edu/news/spring-preemergent-applications-crabgrass.
March is a good time to take inventory of garden supplies, purchase seeds and start garden vegetable plants indoors, like tomatoes.  Choosing a tomato that fits your needs, and the Northern growing season will be key in ensuring the best harvest.  There are many types of tomatoes to best fit your needs; here are a few things to think about when choosing varieties.  Bush type tomatoes do not need staking or pruning, making them low maintenance.  These are called determinate, meaning they stop growing when flowers appear and produce fruit that ripens all together.  Bush variety tomatoes have fruits that will ripen 4-6 weeks after the fruits are set making them great for small spaces and short growing seasons. (Roma, Glacier, Early Girl)
Vining tomatoes are called indeterminate, which means they keep growing, flowering and producing fruit until a killing frost.  These tomatoes will need staking and pruning throughout the season to maintain a healthy plant.  (Big Beef, Super Sweet 100, San Marzano)
Maturity dates are another important factor in calculating fruit ripening for Northern gardeners.  Typically, the last frost date in Minnesota is Memorial Day Weekend (May 24-26, 2025) and the first frost in the fall can be as early as mid-August some years.  Giving our garden vegetables somewhere around 90 days to grow and ripen fruit.  Look for maturity dates on tomatoes (and other garden vegetables) that are between 50-90 days.  Seeding indoors or buying seedlings can give gardeners a head start on the season.  End of March through mid-April is a great time to start tomatoes, cucumber, squash, watermelon, melon and other garden vegetables indoors.
For more information on starting seeds indoors visit https://extension.umn.edu/planting-and-growing-guides/starting-seeds-indoors.  U of M Extension March garden checklist items can be found here https://extension.umn.edu/yard-and-garden-news/march-garden-checklist.
Please join The University of Minnesota Agricultural Business Management Team for “Farm Business Transition: Where do I begin? This workshop will cover topics related to farms transitioning to new hands and estate planning.
Thursday, March 20th, 2025
10:00 am to 3:00 pm (lunch provided)
RDO, Hawley, MN
To register please visit https://extension.umn.edu/event/farm-transition-and-estate-planning-hawley
Or call Heather Dufault (218-280-1129) or Jillian Patrie (218-299-7338)
For questions about this article or local assistance, please contact Clay County Extension Educator Jill Patrie at 218-299-7338 or by email at patri350@umn.edu.