Gennissa Hart checks on flowers at Chuck Hafner’s Farmers Market and Garden Center as staff prepares for the busy planting season. © 2025 Teigen Reiter
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) — As temperatures slowly rise, Chuck Hafner’s Farmers Market and Garden Center in Syracuse is preparing for the seasonal rush.
With spring now here, Chuck Hafner’s Farmers Market and Garden Center in Syracuse is preparing for a busy planting season. After a stretch of colder weather, temperatures are finally beginning to rise, bringing a renewed sense of excitement for gardeners and local nurseries.
Gennissa Hart, the general manager at Chuck Hafner’s, says the changing weather is something they constantly have to work around.
“The weather does push us around quite a bit,” Hart said. “Even though with this snow that’s happening right now that’s got everyone a little bit scared, we still have really good weather just around the corner.”
Despite the lingering chill in the air, many customers are already coming in to get a jump on their spring planting. Hart says it’s safe to start, as long as gardeners stay ahead of any potential frost.
“There’s a couple things you can do,” she said. “You can bring plants into your garage or move them under a porch where they’re protected from settling frost. If they’re already planted in the landscape, you’ll want to lay a fabric material over them never use clear plastic directly on plants, as it can actually burn the foliage.”
Hart recommends using household items like bedsheets, pillowcases, burlap or shrub covers from local garden centers. For especially cold nights, placing plastic over a layer of fabric offers additional protection.
“That’s a really simple way to protect your plants,” Hart said. “All you gotta do is watch the forecast and be ahead of it.”
While the days may still be cool, recent warm snaps are already waking up plants that have been dormant all winter. Hart has noticed the shift.
“We’ve had a lot of warm snaps, right? 70 degrees even,” she said. “Plants are starting to respond to the weather. The buds are starting to swell.”
With the season shifting and local interest in gardening on the rise, Chuck Hafner’s and other nurseries are gearing up for a strong spring.
VIDEO TRANSCRIPT: Spring gardening in Central New York: How nurseries are preparing as temperatures warm
Teigen Reiter: With spring now here, Chuck Hafner’s Farmers Market and Garden Center is preparing for the busy planting season. Although recent temperatures have been cooler, warmer days are ahead. I spoke with Gennissa Hart, the general manager, to get her take on how this weather affects their operations.
Gennissa Hart: The weather does push us around quite a bit. Even though with this snow that’s happening right now, that’s got everyone a little bit scared, we still have really good weather just around the corner.
Reiter: As temperatures rise, it’s time to start planning for the upcoming planting season. Experts say, despite the cold weather, gardeners can begin getting ready for the surge of activity that comes with spring.
Reiter: While the recent cold weather has slowed business here at Chuck Hafner’s, it’s a reminder that spring weather is right around the corner, and it’s almost time to start planting.
Reiter: As plants begin to wake up from their winter dormancy, the warmer weather will bring an increase in activity at local nurseries.
Hart: We have had a lot of warm snaps right around 70 degrees, and what’s happening is that plants that have been dormant all winter are starting to respond to the weather. The buds are starting to swell.
Reiter: So while it’s still a little chilly outside, the next few weeks should bring a change, and the gardening season will soon be in full swing. Reporting from Syracuse for NCC News, I’m Teigen Reiter.