Meteorologist Dave Epstein is our go-to person for pressing weather questions on everything from winter blizzards to summer droughts. He’s also a horticulturist, meaning he’s an expert in anything that grows leaves and flowers. GBH's Morning Edition asked our audience for weather and gardening questions, and Epstein graciously answered them on the air.

Have a gardening or weather question for meteorologist Dave Epstein? Tweet him  @GrowingWisdom, email us at  thewakeup@wgbh.org, or text 617-300-2008.

What flowers are blooming around Boston right now?

Flower lovers can chart the progression of spring with the blooms they see lining gardens, parks and arboretums, Epstein said.

Early April brings some bright yellow daffodils. As the month goes on, there are later daffodils and jonquils.

As we ring in May, Epstein said to keep an eye out for tulips.

“And there's still some flowering trees like dogwoods are starting to come on at this point, which is really nice,” he said.

After that, he said, look for lilacs, azaleas and rhododendrons in bloom.

His tip: Most people will look for lilacs on Mother’s Day weekend, which this year lands on May 12. It’s typically a busy day at the Arnold Arboretum in Boston, the Frederick Law Olmsted park that celebrates the fragrant blooms with an annual Lilac Sunday, coinciding with Mother’s Day.

“But actually the week before, which is next weekend, I tend to really like because a lot of them will be open by then,” Epstein said.

What should go in the garden in early May?

Epstein is preparing onion plants and leeks, he said. He also suggested potatoes.

But gardeners looking at warmer-weather crops, like tomatoes, peppers and basil, should hold off for now, he said.

“I would hold off on tomatoes for another 7 to 14 days,” he said. “No, there's no frost, but the cool wet pattern kind of promotes disease and the plants don't really get established. So you really want to wait to put those warm weather crops and tomatoes, peppers, basil, especially until mid to late May.”

Those who wait could be rewarded with a speeder crop, he said.

“If you did some research and planted stuff May 1st and planted stuff May 21st, the May 21st stuff would catch up, if not surpass the earlier stuff because the earlier stuff just lingers,” Epstein said. “So don't rush it.”