You “May” be Surprised When to Plant

By Ron Eichner

Hey folks, May is a month of 31 days. During this month, you can have unseasonal warm sunny days that warm the soil, and then you could get a string of cold rains that strips all of the warm temperature gains to the soil. If you plant too early, the outcome could be disastrous.

For decades, the big box stores have pushed spring garden sales on flowers and vegetables around mid-April. This spring, the plant sales started on April 2, two weeks earlier. The box stores are focused on separating the customers from their hard-earned incomes by tempting them with their in-store garden centers filled with colorful products. Planting too early can hinder the plants and your gardening experience, so maybe step back and garden for success.

So, if you purchase plants too early against decades of gardening wisdom, there may be lessons learned. When you get into late May and early June, there is no guess work, it’s all go. Bring your kids and grandkids to see our spring births of lambs, calves, and piglets.

One of the biggest growing problems customers come to me with is their poor selection of potting soil. We have exclusively used Pitt Moss for six years, and we also sell it to our customers. Our greenhouses will have colorful hanging baskets for Mother's Day and continue to have a nice selection of annuals, herbs, vegetable plants, and potted plants. We not only grow and sell for successful gardening; we will also offer free advice for our customers. There are no stupid questions, but there can be many stupid answers. Our farm market is stocked with fresh farm eggs, beef, lamb, and pork products, vegetables, local honey and maple syrup, homemade cookies, biscotti, chocolate candy, and fudge.

Our mom, Vi Eichner, passed away on Thursday, April 10, at 5:00 p.m., and as a full-time family farm member, she contributed along with our dad for over seven decades. As our third-generation family members, they will be missed but never forgotten for how they lived their lives providing for our farm and our valued family friends and year-round customers. They were both always around our farm, farm market, and greenhouses. They were true ambassadors for our family farm and the community. God created our mom and dad. They were separated for four ½ years, and on April 10, in God's plan, he ended their earthly separation, and they are again united as one. Don, Gary, Diane, and I want to thank all who reached out during this time of celebration for Mom.

Our family farm wants to wish all the moms a Blessed and Happy Mother's Day. We are nestled in a valley, and our farm market and greenhouses are open seven days a week. We welcome you all to come and visit Eichner's Whole Farm and Greenhouses at 285 Richard Road, Wexford, to experience farm-fresh and discover "the rest of the story."