After nearly two weeks of rain, many local gardeners are eager to get digging. But is it time to plant? That depends on what you hope to grow this year, and how your garden fared after our area's lengthy cycle of rain and cold.

Is it too cold?"Our customers always ask, 'Is it time to plant?' I'm not a weatherman, but we usually tell people that the 15th of May is a good time," said Denise Smith, the owner of Rocky Ridge Greenhouse in Nescopeck, from her stand at the Mahoning Valley Farmers Market.She noted that heavy rains have been affecting sales and customers' moods, and that this year's spring has been significantly colder than last year. At this time last year, Smith was experiencing her busiest weeks of the season and above-average temperatures."Sunshine brings people out. It's too cold for them right now," she said. "Some people do want to plant early, but nothing's going to really grow until we have warm nights."Eileen East, a master gardener from the Carbon County Penn State Extension Office, agreed that it's too early for some types of plants. Even as daytime temperatures slowly rise, local gardens still don't have the warm soil necessary to encourage growth."The main thing to remember when you talk about planting times is where a plant originates. Tomatoes and nightshade plants are tropical and can't take cold weather or cold soil," she said."Some of the Master Gardeners don't plant them outside until June."On the other hand, cold crops or Brassica like cauliflower and broccoli are fine in cooler temperatures," she added.Weather has also been ideal for growing cabbage, lettuce and kale.If you do choose to plant your warmer-weather plants now, keep an eye on the weather. It's not too late in the season for one last frost. Keep blankets, baskets and boxes on hand to cover any fragile plants if frost is forecast.Before planting, keep in mind that every garden has a varying amount of drainage and sunshine, which can dramatically impact your own growing season. Check the soil before planting seeds or delicate seedlings, said East."Wet, heavy soil is not good for seeds or seedlings, so make sure the ground is dry enough and warm enough. Stick your fingers in the soil. You want it cool but not cold," she said.Plants vs. seedsLocal gardening stores are filled with colorful flowers, hearty vegetable seedlings and a seemingly endless choice of seed packets. What to choose?Most seed packets were ideally purchased months ago and carefully grown indoors under a grow light. It's too late to sow many types of seeds directly and expect maximum harvest or bloom this summer."If you would direct-sow most types of flowers this time of year, it would take a long time for them to grow and bloom," said Smith.If you're starting now, stick to seedlings or more mature plants for flowers and vegetables that require a lengthy growing season, such as tomatoes and peppers, she added."But it depends on what you're trying to grow. Cucumbers can grow quickly in the field. The same can be said for red beets," she said, while noting that she does carry plants that could have been direct-sown."We're growing many of these plants for the convenience of our customers," she said."Some of these plants are meant for people who aren't comfortable sowing directly in the field."