Date Archives: April 2020

Now that spring is finally here, it's time to work on starting a garden at your Boise home. While it's still too early to put many plants in the ground, you can plan, prepare, and start some plants indoors to transplant when it gets warmer.

Our REALTORS® share the following guide to starting a garden in Boise:

The Basics of Gardening in our Area 

If you're starting a garden in Boise, your frost-free growing season will start, on average, on May 7. This date will help you start and transplant your seeds at the right time. 

It's also important to use the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, which helps you learn the plants that are likely to grow well in your area. The map's zones are determined by the average annual minimum winter temperature in every area of the country, and Boise is in zone 6. So, if you read a plant label or look up information about it online, check to see if it's recommended for zone 6. It's no guarantee, of course, but the plant's chances of thriving in this area will be good. 

The Boise area has a relatively short growing season, so many plants will need to be started indoors and then transplanted when there's no longer any danger of frost.

Growing Veggies

• Cole Crops 
  These include broccoli and cabbage and also apply to lettuce and spinach. They're ideally started indoors in early spring and are transplanted into the garden in early May. They can also be direct seeded into your garden around April 10, but this option is less preferable since the ground may still be unworkable.
  
  
• Onions Starts, Potatoes, and Peas 
  Onion starts, and potatoes can be planted in late March, and pea seeds can be sown at the same time, provided the ground has thawed.
  
  
• Tomatoes, Peppers, and Eggplants 
  Start these indoors in early spring and then prepare to transplant them into the ground in mid-May. You should wait until no more frost is forecast for the season before planting.
  
  
• Summer Veggies 
  Plant these indoors around the first of May and transplant them into the ground after the danger of frost has passed.

Growing Flowers 

• If you're growing flowers, April is a great time to get started by shearing back groundcovers and using a general fertilizer on your flower bands. Roses should also be pruned.
  
  
• Plant any conifers and shrubs as well as summer bulbs like daylilies and cannas.
  
  
• If you have indoor seedlings, start hardening them off, but shelter them from the wind.
  
  
• Aphids can be a nuisance this time of year, so check your plants for them and blast any of these pests you see with water. Also, set up supports for floppy plants such as peonies.
  
  
• When it's May, remove dead blossoms from tulips, daffodils, and crocuses. Feed your roses and plant annuals to fill in your perennial beds. According to local lore, it's safe to plant when the snow has melted off Shafer Butte north of Boise.

Contact us to learn more about starting a garden in Boise. It's a wonderful way to improve your home's landscaping and make it stand out compared to other Boise homes for sale when you're ready to put it on the market.