How to protect your plants from spring snow in Colorado

A late April snow fell on the Denver metro area Saturday after days of temperatures reaching the 80s. It ushered in concern for some Coloradans who may have already begun spring planting in their gardens.

While the moisture is good for plants, the snow and cold can be damaging. But you can still take steps to protect your plants from the state's fluctuating weather.

It's a tricky question in Colorado, when should you begin planting?

"The general rule of thumb has been 'Mother's Day,' but the past two Mother's Day we've actually had snow," said Kate Kator, manager at The Gardens, a garden center in Highlands Ranch.

Kator says you can plant anytime between March and October, but you may want to wait until Memorial Day for vegetables.

"You just kinda have to watch the weather," said Kator.

If you do plant sooner, Kator recommends covering annuals and vegetables when late snows hit.

"You don't want to use plastic; plastic will hold the cold, so you're better off using cloth. Some people will use landscape cloth," said Kator.

You can move potted plants into your garage, but not inside your home, it will be too warm.

Seeds that have been planted shouldn't be impacted, but if seedlings have already come up, you'll want to cover those.

Don't worry about covering perennials, trees or shrubs.

"Most of those should be hardy to 20 below zero. But anything that has been grown in a greenhouse needs to be hardened off before it goes outside," said Kator.

But heavy, wet snow and wind can still damage branches of trees and shrubs.

"We do recommend to our customers for plants like arborvitaes and upright junipers that you tie them up in a couple spots around the shrub during the winter months so the heavy wet snows don't splay out the branches," said Kator. "Then when you are brushing snow off of trees and shrubs, you always wanna push up using a broom or a leaf rake or, if you're able to, gently shake the tree."

In newer communities like Sterling Ranch and Solstice which may be more exposed to wind, consider landscaping your yard to create windbreaks and minimize damage.

Xeriscaping, or planting native drought-resistant plants, is a great way to save water, and ensure your plants survive Colorado weather.

"This is one of the most common plants that you see planted everywhere, it's called May Night Salvia," said Kator.

Because of Colorado's dry air, nutrient-deficient soils, and fluctuating temperatures, Kator recommends fertilizing most plants twice a year.

And sometimes the key to a green thumb in Colorado is patience.

"There's literally nothing you can do about what Mother Nature does," said Kator. "You kind of have to put up with it."