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Savvygardener.com
March 8, 2000

Click Here for Ryan Lawn & Tree

A Tricky Transition to Spring
Well, the weather has taken another funny turn.  It was 75 and sunny on Tuesday, blustery today, and if I believe the weather forecast a chance of snow on Friday.

I hope you got out and enjoyed the beautiful weather.  Signs of spring were in abundance last weekend.  The magnolia tree in our front yard is full of blooms and they are starting to open.  Almost all of my daffodils are up and blooming.  The tulips are pushing through as if racing to keep up with the daffodils.  Kevin and I went wild with bulbs last fall and planted close to 400!  I think the color will be spectacular.  It is always so much fun to watch everything that you've planted come up.  Don't miss my tip below on protecting these early bloomers from rogue freezes.

In addition to taking in the sights I also made a trip to our newest sponsor Earl May and purchased some pansies to be planted in pots.  Their selection was wonderful!  I came home with a couple of flats and had no problems deciding on where to put them.  Pansies are great to plant this time of the year because they love the cooler weather.  They will continue to bloom as long as the weather is cool and you take off the old blooms.

I also picked up Earl May's gardening book - "Midwest Gardener's Handbook".  It looks great!   Look for a Savvygardener.com review of this book soon!
~ Shelly               


Playing in the Dirt
With all the recent mild weather an anxious gardener might want to get in the garden and start turning some soil.  Not so fast you eager beavers!  If your soil is too wet you are asking for serious trouble.  Digging or otherwise working wet soil right now will over compact it making it difficult if not impossible for your new plants to grow.  Not sure if the soil is ready?  Try this:
  • Grab a handful of soil.
  • Try to squeeze it into a ball.
  • If it forms a ball and is clay-like it is still to wet to work.
  • If it easily crumbles feel free to dig in!

Cold Weather Caution
So we're basically having a Zone 7 winter.  What's not to love?  Just remember that Mother Nature has plenty of tricks up her sleeve.  The nights are supposed to be much cooler and they still may dip below freezing this month.  You need a good cold-weather contingency plan.  For small groupings of already flowering bulbs you might just cover them with an inverted flower pot when the forecast calls for frost.  Flower pots aren't much help if you've got a bed of several hundred daffodils or tulips however.  I keep some old bedsheets around for just such an emergency.  By placing several stakes in the ground and draping the sheets tent-like over the early bloomers I am able to protect them from frost without forcing them to the ground.

Early Vegetables for Hungry Gardeners
A number of vegetables can be planted now and through the month.  Our favorite, Asparagus, is especially tolerant of cold weather.  Unfortunately if you're just starting an asparagus garden it will be three years before you benefit from a harvest.  But if you want to start just one very rewarding garden project this year make it asparagus.  The University of Missouri extension has a very informative article on their website.

For more immediate gratification there's always potatoes (traditionally planted on St. Patty's Day but fine now also), peas, and leafy salad greens.  You can cover your plantings on frosty nights but don't worry about peas as they can actually be planted right under snow if necessary.  The earlier you get them started the better tasting they will be.

A Plant Called Fern
For reasons I don't fully understand I have not been particularly good with house plants in the past.  However this fall I brought a fern inside and much to my surprise it has done very well!  Fern is her name and I have given her special attention all winter (Before you start worrying about me understand that this is my only plant with a name.  Winter at home with two preschoolers can do that to a person.).  Soon she will make the transition back outside to enjoy the warm spring and summer days.  To prepare her for her journey, I have been taking her outside on these warmer days and letting her enjoy the mild weather.  This is called "hardening off" and plants that have over-wintered inside need a chance to adjust to warmer conditions and more sunlight if they will be placed outside again.  Be cautious, don't leave plants outside all day long right away.  Start with an hour or two each day and then increase time as the weather gets warmer.  They will make the transition nicely and will once again thrive outside.

What's Hot on the Hotline
The Johnson County Extension Horticulture Hotline has had a number of calls this week regarding clematis.

Clematis has grown in popularity because of the beauty of its flowers and its value in adding a vertical dimension to the home garden.  Growing clematis is relatively simple and problem free.

The question of proper pruning often arises.  Many complex methods are offered in gardening texts, and some lead to confusion.  Following the simplified guide on the Savvygardener.com website should encourage flowering and good plant growth for those varieties commonly grown in the Kansas City area.

Finally...
"The least flower, with a brimming cup, may stand
And share its dew-drop with
another near."  Elizabeth Barrett Browning, poet, 1806-1861 .


Click Here for Earl May

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