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Horticulture Experts Advises Gardeners To Hold Off Planting Early-Spring Annuals

(CBS) -- The Chicago Botanic Garden is urging gardeners to hold off on planting pansies and other early-spring annuals until at least next week.

Botanic Garden senior director for horticulture Tim Johnson said he is keeping an eye on the forecast, which currently calls for a low of 24 degrees on Friday night.

Normally, the Botanic Garden would have begun planting its pansies and other early-spring annuals Sunday, but he said it has been postponed for a week.

"We're either holding off on some of the big plantings or some of the staff who have installed them are covering them to help them get through the really cold nights," he said.

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He said gardeners should wait even if they have early-spring annuals that are labeled "cold resistant."

Johnson said the decision to delay planting at the Botanic Garden was made after quite a bit of internal discussion.

Despite that, he said, there is plenty that the average gardener can do. He said that trees, shrubs, ground cover and most perennials are safe to plant, although he would advise caution with plants brought in from more southern climates that otherwise would be hardy enough for early Chicago springs. He said plants straight out of the greenhouse are likely to have less resistance than those that have been in the ground for a week or two.

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