5 days ago
Saving your garden after late May shivers
Like many local gardeners who optimistically planted delicate seedlings right after Mother's Day, I'm facing a garden of tomato, basil and pepper plants damaged by the late May cold.
Why it matters: Today I'm wondering if my anemic plants will spring back with a little TLC or if it's time to start over at the garden store.
The answer: That depends.
State of play: Our late-May temps normally average in the mid-70s but this year O'Hare only reached 70 twice after May 17, per WGN.
What they're saying:"The cold basically stalls the growth of your tomato plants where they won't die but they won't grow either," Chicago's Tomato Man Bob Zeni, who's known for growing and donating plants, tells Axios.
"Their sweet spot is between 65 and 85 and we were well below that in May."
The bad news:"If the stem of your tomato plant is soft, droopy and kind of squishy, that's a goner," Zeni explains.
Yes, but, he adds that "most tomato plants are resilient" and those with strong stems should thrive as temps rise.
After diagnosing mine (from photos), he predicted they'd be OK after I trim lower leaves, give them room and add mulch.
Still, Zeni said, I can expect some stunted development from the cold stretch.
Beyond tomatoes: U of I extension horticultural educator Nancy Kreith suggests inspecting your "tender crops" like basil, peppers and cucumbers for damage this week.
"Something like potatoes could regenerate new growth underneath," she says, "But if your basil has gone black and wilted or even white, it's probably too far gone."
The advice: Remove any severely wilted plants and, if you can swing it, buy more seedlings and re-plant.
But for things like basil, squash, cucumbers, watermelon, Kreith says, it's not too late to start growing from seeds this year.
What's next: As you plan for spring 2026, Kreith advises "always checking the 10-day forecast before planting to see if there are any nights in the 40s coming because that's too cold for tender crops."
