It has nothing to do with the sun and everything to do with the soil - you need to wait until the soil is workable (read: dried out enough to plant) and soil temp warm. Cool, moist soil = rot.

Finchelover,

It has been raining here for the last several days, but I have had no trouble planting zinnia seeds and setting out zinnia plants and tomato plants that I started inside last March. The secret is sand, and lots of it. Our native soil has a heavy silt structure that becomes very sticky when wet. I add a lot of sand to convert it into a sandy loam in the garden areas.

Unlike most soils, the sandy loam won't make mud when wet, and can be worked and used when wet. An added bonus is that you don't get mud stuck to your shoes or boots or garden tools. Other advantages are that slugs, snails, and pillbugs avoid sand.

And sandy loam drains well and lets plenty of oxygen into the root zone. That keeps the roots healthy and aids in the quick aerobic breakdown of organic matter, avoiding the smelly anaerobic conditions of heavy soils. Sand lets the soil breathe.

If you can't afford the investment in sand, you can do as mxk3 (Michele) suggests, and wait until your soil is workable. We typically have very wet Springs in this area, so it has been worth it to me to use a lot of sand to convert our garden soil into sandy loam. Otherwise, I would have a long wait for our soil to become workable.

ZM

I'm sorry, but I disagree with zenman if what you have now is clay. Clay + sand = concrete. Sandy loam would be sand with lots of decomposed organic material in it, not just sand added to clay. Sand also has no nutritive value for the plants. Over time, adding compost and using mulch will improve your soil. Also, if you have mulch, you can step in the bed without getting muddy. Wouldn't hurt to go ahead and put some mulch down now if you have an interest. Otherwise for now, just wait until it dries out some.

It has been in the 70s and 80s day time and 50s night temps.

We have been getting maybe a half day of no rain. I have good garden soil that has been amended. The zinna seeds have been sprinkled and I sprinkle a little soil on top of the seeds. The bulbs are planted, Now the rain is saving me from having to water everyday.

If you wait until hot summer and no rain you will have to water everyday until everything comes up.

My Spring Bulbs (Dahlias, Glads, Calla Lily) are all in pots and are up and growing. They are loving all the rain.