Warm weather gives local gardeners a head start

By: Phillip Pearce, Reporter

OMAHA, Neb. – Local gardeners feel the spring itch with warm winter weather and head to their local garden center to stock up on seeds and supplies to get a jump start on the growing season. 

Warm sunny days means garden season is right around the corner and no one knows this more than sales manager Jim Kinghorn at Earl May a local garden center. He and his team have been working hard to prepare for the coming season and has noticed the increase of traffic in seed sales. 

Jim says, “They are looking for a lot of seeds they like to start their annuals early, they like to start their perennials early just a different way people like to grow stuff as opposed to just coming in and buying things that are already grown.”  

Starting seeds indoors is simple but what seeds are good to start early, and which ones should you hold off on? Jim says cole crops are a great place to start. They are resistant to light frosts and are great for early seeding these include broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, collards, kale and kohlrabi.  

These can be transplanted early spring when threat of hard frost (25℉ or below) has passed. Warmer weather veggies can also be started early but be prepared to keep them indoors for a longer period before they can be transplanted when temperatures stay above the mid 40’s at night. 

Nebraska has experienced a mild winter this year and for many the excitement of the coming of spring growing season is hard to resist when temperatures reach above freezing.  

Local gardener Nathan Rothlisberger shared his excitement for starting his seeds indoors. 

“I just love watching those seeds grow, I love seeing them come out of their casings.” 

Though it is easy to start thinking about planting outside due to the nice weather according to the Famers Almanac Omaha’s final frost date is set on April 27^th so it would be wise to hold off until then.  

Nate shared his plans for transplanting outside, “I usually wait until the final frost date and then plant about two weeks after that just to be safe.”  

Earl May recommends starting seeds indoors on March 1^st to sure the plants are grown and ready for transplanting when the threat of frost has passed.