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Greetings!
It is hard to believe. Today is the last day of February, leap day, and it feels as if spring has arrived. Everywhere I look the signs are hard to miss. Tulips poking their heads through the soil, quince and forsythia shrubs ready to burst, spring-like thunderstorms, daffodils in bloom and perennials coming to life. And tomorrow the temperature is supposed to be a balmy 65°. I have to say it makes me a little nervous. I'm sure you all remember the Easter freeze where many plants were lost or damaged to freezing temperatures. That was a disaster and I am not too anxious to see that again anytime soon. What to do? Make sure you check your email for Savvygardener frost alerts. Kevin and I will do our best to stay on top of what's happening outside in case the temperatures take a dangerous plunge.
I'm receiving daily emails from many of you asking if it is too early to start planting. The truth of the matter is it really depends on what you want to plant. If you are wanting to sow seeds you can plant asters, bachelor button, snapdragon and dianthus. If you are wanting to get your seedlings in the ground I would certainly follow the directions on the seed packet. I know it's hard to not think that this warmer weather is here to stay but Mother Nature is a tricky gal. You will have to decide if it is worth the gamble. If you have seedlings that are doing well get them outside to harden off. Hardening off is an important phase so do your seedlings a favor. Take them outside to gradually acclimate. You will have happier, healthier plants!
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Dormant Overseeding...
OK, we've said it many times before: "The best time to overseed cool-season grasses (such as tall fescue and Kentucky bluegrass) is September." This is because the turf has more time to mature before crabgrass germination in the spring and the heat stress of summer. That being said, if it ever snows again in Kansas City it may provide an opportunity to put some seed down that may actually do well this season. It's called Dormant seeding and it works best when there has been a light snowfall of generally less than an inch.
Simply spread seed by hand on areas that need thickening up. As the snow melts it brings the seed into good contact with the soil where it will germinate as warmer spring temperatures arrive.
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Armed & Ready...
As the weather warms and you walk through your gardens take along a hand pruner and cut out dead branches from your shrubs. The living branches should be recognizable by the appearance of leaf or flower buds. The dead ones are the "dead-looking" ones with no green visible underneath the brown outer bark layer.
For more assistance check out Pruning Shrubs in our Features section.
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Staggered Start...
Getting the timing right on seed starting is pretty important. Start too early and your plants will get leggy before it's time to put them outside. Start too late and you miss out on valuable growing time (especially if you want the first tomatoes on the block). Seeds are cheap, time is unrecoverable. Instead of starting all of your similar seeds (tomato for instance) at the same time, try starting 1/3 of them each week for three weeks. If warm weather is early, you'll be ahead. If cold weather lingers you'll still have seedlings at the appropriate transplant time.
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Speaking Of Tomatoes...
A quick check of our Seed Starting Calendar reveals that it's time to start seeds for those warm-weather vegetables like tomatoes and peppers. Tomatoes can be found in many, many gardens. Why not yours? If you need some help getting started just read Seed Starting Tomatoes in our Features section.
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Thyme For Renewal...
If you grow thyme in your garden you may want to rejuvenate your plot this spring. Thyme, a low-growing, woody perennial herb, should be started from seed every two to three years. This is because older plants produce coarser, lower grade stems and leaves. Thyme seeds often germinate poorly when planted directly in the soil, so it's best to start plants indoors now for transplant later.
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Digger Delay...
We know you are tempted to start working that soil, but there are some serious consequences to consider. This week's rains may have made the soil pretty wet. Digging in the dirt now means soil structure may be destroyed, forming large clods that take weeks or months to break up with natural weathering. Use of a roto-tiller 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.
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Cut That Out...
So, you think it's too early to cut the grass? Not the ornamental grass! In early spring before new growth begins you should remove the previous year's foliage to promote earlier and more healthy growth. Use hand clippers, a pruning saw, or sharp shears to cut your grasses back to within 3 to 5 inches of the ground. To minimize the mess try tying the grass into a standing bundle before cutting.
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Finally...
"The best thing one can do when it's raining is to let it rain. "
~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
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