You should be able to plant your arriving mail-order plants as soon as you receive them if the ground is thawed. If temperatures below 35 degrees F are expected, cover the plants with a pile of leaves or pine needles until it warms up again. Be cautious not to "sunburn" the new plants - sometimes the plants have been in dark cold storage and are not ready for bright sunlight. Covering them with a light coating of leaves allows them to acclimate to sun and wind. Gradually remove the leaves over a week or two. You should receive planting instructions from the mail-order company that outline what to do with your new plants. If you get hit with a winter storm when the plants arrive, the potted plants can be put in a window in the house or a cold frame, and the bare-root plants can be heeled into a protected place temporarily. Plant them next to the foundation and mulch or in a bucket of soil in the garage. Perennial plants can be divided while they are still dormant (or just emerging), as long as the ground is thawed. If you purchase annuals or perennials in pots from a local garden center, they are probably already "hardened off" (inquire if you are not sure). If you have been growing your own plants indoors under lights, you will need to harden off your plants before you can transplant them. Hardening off involves slowly exposing plants to outside conditions for increasing periods of time over several days.

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