The time is ripe to begin gardening in Lincoln, but hold off on planting some things

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – Temperatures recently in Lincoln have been pretty nice.

This week, the Capital City saw temps above average, including an 84-degree day on Tuesday and an 86-degree day on Wednesday.

And with beautiful conditions outside, some may be eager to begin gardening or put some new roots into the ground.

Jason Orth, manager at Campbell’s Nursery, said now is the time to get some cold-season crops, dormant trees and shrubs into the soil.

“I’ve planted potatoes myself, onions, cabbages, beets, kale,” he said.

But you might want to hold off on warm-season items such as peppers, tomatoes and squashes, as conditions are not quite ready for those.

“I wouldn’t be planting corn now, or those kind of things,” Orth said. “That’s generally mid-May for the warm season stuff to go in.”

Fruit trees have become quite popular. Orth said many customers have been adding them to their homes, along with making their garden more edible.

“Everybody wants free food. Blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, all of those things,” he said. “It’s fun to add those things into your beds, even if they just look good.”

There is also container gardening, which has become quite popular with those who might not have garden space, like if you live in an apartment.

Orth says you can do all kinds of growing that you would do outside in a container.

“People do herb containers, you can do strawberries in a container, you can do blueberries in a container,” he said. “You can do any small rooting shrub, any kind of vegetable. Plant whatever you have on hand.”

But it’s important to make sure you put the right plant into the right place. Not every plant can fit every landscape.

“If it’s a full sun plant that it’s suited for full sun,” Orth said. “If it likes shade, then make sure to give it some shade. If it is a drought-tolerant plant and maybe it doesn’t want to be overwatered, and some of those plants that can tolerate wetness probably need more water.”

As for your lawn, now is a good time to lay down seed, and early spring can also be a good time to put on weed killer.