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Jennifer Brennan from Chalet Nursery in Wilmette stopped by ABC7 Chicago to offer advice ahead of the summer.
Frost-tolerant annuals are safe to plant in the garden before the frost free date. Consider pansies, violas, snapdragons, petunias, sweet alysssum, dianthus stock and lobelia.
For warm-season annuals its better to wait until danger of frost has passed. Consider looking into geraniums, begonias, impatiens, zinnias, periwinkle, nicotiana, cleome, torenia, lantana, and verbena.
If temperatures drop to the 20s and you have warm-season plants outside, simply protect them with large sheets to hold ground temperatures.
Best vegetables to plant in your garden for spring and summer
There are also cool-season and warm-season vegetables:
Cool season:
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Lettuce, peas, onions, cabbage, kale, spinach, and radish.
Warm season:
Tomatoes, peppers, cucumber, corn, and zucchini.
Most herbs require warm soil temperatures and full sun to perform best. Note that basil does not like temperatures below 40 degrees.
For more information or to connect with Brennan and the staff at Chalet, click here.