Gardeners may be looking to make for some lost time now the weather is beginning to warm up.

With temperatures moving above +20 this week many gardeners are starting their prep work.

It is a slower start to the gardening season as compared to last year.

Compared to last year, Lucille Bouvier of Plant Ranch says most gardeners are three weeks behind schedule. She added the cool, moist April affected the trees and leaves. “They’re just coming out of dormancy. they’re taking longer to leaf out.”

Bouvier says prep work should be the focus in the garden right now. “Take away a lot of the leaves and junk from last year, then you will have less problems with slugs and insects.” Bouvier added that gardeners should keep an eye out for ants.

Even with the temperatures beginning to rise, the soil is still too frozen to do plant most seeds says Bouvier. She says the only things you can seed with the current overnight temperatures is onions and peas. She noted that you can not seed beans or corn because the seeds will rot. When it comes to potatoes, Bouvier noted that it will be at least a week before they are planted into the ground.

Bouvier noted on Monday that through her findings, the soil remains frozen two inches into the ground.