HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Cold weather in the forecast could harm your spring plantings.

Right now, it depends on several things. Jason French with Stutzman’s Greenhouse says, as long as temperatures don’t fall into the mid- to upper 20s, most plants should be OK. He did say any early gardening that is already done might need a little protection. If you haven’t started yet, it’s probably best to wait. “In this part of the country, April 15 is usually the average last frost date,” French said. “We’re really not quite to that average time yet, so if you haven’t done that, it’s probably best to hang on a few days.”

A good way to protect tomatoes and other tender garden plants is to use a plastic bucket or some other type of cover. The forecast calls for low temperatures around 30 with a chance of some snow showers over the weekend.