Memorial Day: Time to Plant!

The wisdom around Southwest Montana is not to plant outdoors until Memorial Day. Well, our veterans’ holiday is early this year, and the likelihood of another snow or frost gives one pause, especially if you’ve been fooled before. And we have!

Our first summer in Montana, a big, wet, heavy snowfall hit on June 10, bringing down branches and powerlines across town. You’d think that would have taught us, but no, fooled by sun and warm temperatures in May, we’ve planted—and paid.

Today’s weather is about what Andra and I experienced during a getaway to Grand Junction, Colorado, in late April-early May: shortsleeves, the trees budding, and the early spring flowers in bloom. There’s no denying it: even within our five-state area of coverage, bloom dates vary by a month and more. But as Dr. Bob keeps reminding us, there are other factors affecting Rocky Mountain gardeners that are just as important as average minimum temperatures: cool nights, clay soil, high altitude, wind, hail…you know the deal.

Yesterday I visited Doug Badenoch, who owns the Wine Gallery here in Bozeman, and who writes our reviews of locally produced wines. We talked about when it’s safe to plant outdoors. Doug said, “My brother is an avid gardener, and he told me: ‘Never plant until after the snow melts on Mt. Baldy.” Looking up at the nearby Bridger Mountains, we could see snow on Baldy’s ridge. The message: be patient. Memorial Day may come and go, and it may hit 80°F, but I’m waiting until the mountain is all brown.