Gardening with Allen: Planting time depends on plant type

And I usually plant potatoes with the other root vegetables because they don’t come up for three weeks after you plant the seed pieces.

All the fruiting vegetables except peas are tender.

I plant the seed of lettuce, spinach, peas and celery in mid-March. I transplant plants of broccoli and cauliflower in early April. Seed of radish, beets, carrots and onion sets also get planted in April. That leaves bean seeds plus transplants of tomato, pepper and eggplant for May planting.

Flowers can be divided into two kinds also, but they don’t fall into easily identified groups like vegetables. They must be learned one by one.

Many full-service nurseries and garden stores have qualified people who can help you differentiate.

All perennial flowers fall into the hardy category. You will find perennial flowers available in stores right now.

We will soon be able to plant transplants of hardy annual flowers such as alyssum, carnation, cosmos, dianthus, dusty miller, pansy, poppies, primrose, petunia, snapdragon, stock and viola.

Wait until May to plant ageratum, aster, begonia, celosia, coleus, dahlia, geranium, impatiens, marigold, salvia, verbena, vinca and zinnia.

There are many flowers that can be planted directly outside from seed, just like vegetables. Some of my favorites include bachelor button, columbine, coreopsis, cosmos, English daisy, forget-me-not, hollyhock, marigold, moss rose (portulaca), nasturtium, California poppy, shirley poppy, iceland poppy, rock cress, sedum, strawflower, sweet pea, zinnia and wildflower mixes.

Allen Wilson is a Vancouver gardening specialist. allenw98663@yahoo.com