This time of year it's pretty common for garden soils to be wet, wet, wet. Unfortunately time is rapidly approaching for spring planting. Although you may be tempted to work wet soil, remember that there are some serious consequences. Soil structure can be destroyed, forming large clods that take weeks or months to break up with natural weathering. Use of a rototiller is especially damaging in soils that are too wet. A gentle spading will cause the least soil damage but is still a risky proposition. It is better to delay planting a few days or weeks than to try to till wet soils. 

Judging when a houseplant needs a new, larger pot is mostly a matter of roots, according to Kansas State University Research and Extension horticulturist Chip Miller. Many container-grown plants need a new home every year. But some grow so slowly that relocating every two or three years can be enough. "To check whether plants are becoming root-bound, you need to knock them out of their pot. If you water several hours before trying this, you'll be able to remove the plant more easily," Miller said.

 

He recommends two approaches to this dislocation:

• For plants in pots that are 8 inches wide or smaller, place one hand over the top of the pot with the plant's stem passing between two fingers. Turn pot and plant upside down, and rap the edge of the pot against a table. The root ball should come away from the pot and into your hand.
• For larger combinations, place the pot on its side and rap its edge with a rubber mallet. Roll the pot a few degrees and repeat the rapping. Continue the procedure until the root ball "releases" and you can slide the pot down.

"If you then see a clear network of roots, the plant needs to be moved into a larger pot," Miller said. "The new pot should be just 1 inch wider if the plant was small enough to remove into your hand. It can be 2 inches wider if the plant's old container was at least 10 inches wide."