Spring Planting Still Couple Weeks Away

WESTFIELD, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- Despite a nor'easter snowstorm on the first day of spring, it may finally be safe to say "Hello, spring!"

David Williams of Williams Nursery in Westfield talked with CBS2's Meg Baker about what to start planting and how to treat a lawn ahead of the warming weather.

"Everyone always thinks, 'Oh, it's fertilizer,' but actually before you can even think about fertilizer, you have to worry about the pH of the soil," said Williams.

"Because if the pH is not right, you can put as much fertilizer on as you want and the grass won't even say, 'Oh, it's time for me to feed,'" he said. "You want to adjust the pH by adding lime as the best way to do that."

Pansies, Lenten Rose and bulb flowers like tulips can go out as long as they have been kept away from an area getting additional heat at night.

"Because we're still hitting temperatures in the upper 20s, (flowers like) pansies can go out in the garden," Williams said. "A severe temperature drop won't kill the plant, it will only kill the flowers thay are actually open."

Growers should still wait a few weeks to plant bushes until the soil has dried out more.

"If you're digging your hole, the soil is almost mucky, you're compacting the soil which long term won't be happy for the plant," he said. "In another two weeks, once the snow is melted and the soil has started to dry out, then that will be a good time to plant."

And as for weeds, don't be too quick to pull them out of the ground.

"Everybody is like dandelions are the scourge, however its actually one of earliest sources of pollen for honey bees," said Williams.

While flowers are on sale now, it's best to enjoy them indoors for another two weeks, then plant them outside.