Garden Reminders

Add compost to garden beds
If you didn’t add compost to your annual flower and vegetable beds last fall, now is a good time to get started. This will allow it a few weeks to blend in with the soil and improve soil structure and drainage.

Plant bare-root plants
As the soil becomes workable, it’s time to plant bare-root plants including fruit trees, shrubs, trees, perennial vegetables (asparagus, rhubarb) and fruits (strawberries, raspberries). Don’t add too much compost or rotted manure as this can hamper root growth; only 20 to 25 percent by volume can be added to the backfill soil.

Start cool season crops
If you have a cold frame, now is a good time to start some cold tolerant crops including broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and onions. When the plants are ready to set out in the garden, they will be acclimatized to cooler nights and transplant more successfully than those grown in a warm greenhouse.

Transplant root bound houseplants
Pick a nice warm day to transplant some of those houseplants that have started to outgrow their old pots. Select a pot that is an inch or two larger than the old container. Gently prune away one-fourth of the bottom roots that may be growing in a circle or those that have become entangled at the bottom and sides of the pot.