ALLENDALE, Mich. — Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial start to summer and the time many in West Michigan do their planting.
The forecast shows warm weather, great for plants to survive planting.
13 ON YOUR SIDE went to Countryside Greenhouse of Allendale to learn some planting tips this weekend.
First, do not forget to water. There's little to no rain in the forecast, so make sure to give plants some extra care.
"Just give your plants a lot of water and they're going to be happy," said co-owner Jared Stevens. "If it's 80 degrees, once in the morning is good, but a good amount."
Stevens said plants can easily dry out in heat and dry weather.
Knowing the light levels is key. Take note around your house, or wherever you are planting, and decide if it is full sun, shade or partial.
However, you do not need to do hours of research on every plant before heading to the greenhouse.
"Read the tags, they tell you all the information you need," said Stevens. "A lot of people look right past tags, and it says everything you need to know on it. It really does."
If you are still looking for hanging baskets, there are a few winners.
"Geranium is always great," said Stevens, "It's been extremely popular this year. So are dipladenias, they're, like, bulletproof. It can handle full sun, it can handle drier conditions."
He said wave petunias, coleus and impatiens do well and are popular in Michigan.
This year, they even added a few new varieties of petunias.
'We've got a black Petunia, which is pretty," said Stevens, "It's a pretty, pretty flower. Pretty jet black. We've got night sky petunia, which is a like a dark purple with splashes of white on it."
Don't forget to grab some top soil or potting soil if your space needs some.
The biggest tip?
"Have fun with it," said Stevens. "Enjoy it."
RELATED VIDEO: Lee High School students plant trees at Early Childhood Center
►Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this. Download the 13 ON YOUR SIDE app now.
Have a news tip? Email news@13onyourside.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter. Subscribe to our YouTube channel.