Spring at last... almost! The official first day of spring is March 21,
but in many parts of the country, it is beginning to feel like spring
is already in the air.

For some reason, outdoor jobs that must be done in the spring become
enjoyable activities while they're simply chores at other times of the
year. Perhaps it is the anticipation of a new season about to begin
and visions of colorful, fragrant blooms that are soon to appear.

So let's get outside and see what we can do.


Look at that lawn!
It might be a bit of a sorry sight after the winter, but with a bit of
TLC, you can coax it back to verdant life. If you can see a fair
amount of thatch (the dead, straw-like stuff that is often tangled
near the grass roots) you will need to rake it out before you attempt
any other lawn care projects. The reason? Anything you add, such as
new seed or fertilizer will simply sit on the thatch, rather than
getting down into the soil, unless it is removed.
Once you have de-thatched your lawn, you can add a fertilizer. Most
garden centers carry a variety of lawn fertilizers. If you're
uncertain, describe your lawn conditions to the manager at the garden
center and ask him or her to recommend a particular type of
fertilizer. If that doesn't help, you can always drop an e-mail to
and I'll try to help. Above all, when using
fertilizer, be sure to read the instructions thoroughly!

If you need to re-seed (sometimes called overseeding), that's the
final step after any de-thatching or fertilizing that your lawn
needed.


Plant and transplant
March is a good time to plant those new roses, berries, fruit trees
and most deciduous plants. If you're still not sure what to plant,
there's still time to go online and do some research but don't leave
it too long.
As for transplanting existing plants from one spot to another, time is
running out, so do it as soon as you can because many plants are
already starting their annual spring growth.


Pruning
If you need to prune ornamental trees and shrubs, the best time to do
so is before growth starts. The exceptions to that rule are spring-
flowering shrubs. For those, you need to wait until after they finish
flowering. This would be a good time to prune roses if they look like
they need a trim. Again, I'm happy to advise on any specific pruning
questions you might have.

Weeding
Probably everyone's least-favorite garden activity, perhaps because it
feels destructive rather than constructive, and it can be backbreaking
work. As I've said before, do a little at a time, interspersed with
more enjoyable garden activities, and it will seem less of a pain in
the, uh, knees.
If you're using a cultivator as part of your spring gardening project,
don't be tempted to use it in bulb beds. Remove the weeds by hand or
you'll risk injuring the delicate root systems.


Pick your perennials
Even if it is still too early to plant perennials in your area, take a
look around your landscape and decide if you can brighten the place up
with a few new "faces." Gardening books and magazines and online Web
sites should give you plenty of ideas, once you determine the amount
of sunlight and the soil conditions affecting that part of your
landscape.
Buying perennials that have already experienced at least one full
growing season is worth the additional cost as they will probably be
sturdier and more likely to thrive than smaller, cheaper options.

I like to think of perennial plants as the backbone of the flower
garden because they're the plants with staying power. Their leaves die
back as winter approaches, but with luck, the following spring, they
come back. Some plants are short-lived, but old favorites like
daylilies, and hostas can thrive for decades.

Get outside, breathe in that fresh (almost) spring air and learn why
you love your landscape all over again!

The Plant Man is here to help. Send your questions about trees, shrubs
and landscaping to and for resources and
additional information, or to subscribe to Steve's free e-mailed
newsletter, visit www.landsteward.org

What the heck are you talking about? There is over 2 inches of ice
covering everything up!

On 2007-02-28 12:09:30 -0500, "OhioGuy" said:

What the heck are you talking about? There is over 2 inches of ice
covering everything up!

You can come to SC. My roses are blooming and several of the
hydrangeas are starting leaf growth.

--
Tara

"OhioGuy" wrote in message ...
What the heck are you talking about? There is over 2 inches of ice
covering everything up!

The grape and other fragrant hyacinths are blooming here. Also the daffodils
are starting. The squills are up, will soon bloom blue flowers. It's low 60s
today.

On Wed, 28 Feb 2007 12:09:30 -0500, "OhioGuy" wrote:

What the heck are you talking about? There is over 2 inches of ice
covering everything up!


It was 82 yesterday, and today the same. I suppose it depends on
where you live. Me, Texas.

Salvia's are coming up, Bishops hat, Salvia coccinea, ruellia, peach
blooms almost pink, etc. I garden every day for a few hours. Today I
unearthed my brugmansia collection and all made it through winter.
For us in Central Texas it was a cold winter. Several frosts, no real
heavy frost.

On 2/28/07 12:09 PM, in article , "OhioGuy"
wrote:

What the heck are you talking about? There is over 2 inches of ice
covering everything up!


And I have a storm headed my way!

Cheryl

On Feb 28, 8:56 am, "
wrote:
Spring at last... almost! The official first day of spring is March 21,
but in many parts of the country, it is beginning to feel like spring
is already in the air.


Weeding
Probably everyone's least-favorite garden activity, perhaps because it
feels destructive rather than constructive, and it can be backbreaking
work. As I've said before, do a little at a time, interspersed with
more enjoyable garden activities, and it will seem less of a pain in
the, uh, knees.
If you're using a cultivator as part of your spring gardening project,
don't be tempted to use it in bulb beds. Remove the weeds by hand or
you'll risk injuring the delicate root systems.


Yes, it's weed spring time here in Los Angeles, as well!

Recognizing that this place is more like a desert with a big ocean
breeze most of the year, the spring season is marked by new weeds
sprouting up from exposed soil after an occasional rain in January or
February. We don't have snow or ice that has to thaw. The
undeveloped hills around the city turn brown in the summer and remain
a dull brown or beige until the new rainy season, such as it may be.
So spring is when brown hills turn green. Hard to explain if you've
never lived out here.

But, since millions of people do live in similar climates, we need to
clamor about the fun and work of spring! This includes the work of
weeding, of course. When the ground is still moist after the rain,
this is the best time to pull or twist out your sprouting weeds with a
weed puller or weed twister. Many of these tools are very precise and
even with a long handle can protect your bulbs, as long as you are
careful. The long handle will also protect your back!

I personally don't see gardening as requiring hard work. Hard work
would be like weeding strawberry fields hours a day in the sun by
hand! Even the strawberry growers today are learning to use new hand
tools to make the job much easier on the workers.

Yes, the strawberry fields in So. Cal. look very green this time of
year!

If we have weeds to pull this time of year, we should consider it a
blessing!

Ray