|
Monthly To-Do
 Not sure what to plant when in your Iowa garden? Click here for a complete listing.
Take advantage of upcoming nice days to get out in your yard and pick up trash and sticks, inspect for winter damage, and just generally check out the state of your garden.
If perennials are sending up a little fresh growth, rake leaves out of flower beds and cut back any perennials left standing.
Edge beds, walks, and drives as desired.
Time to prune most large trees, small trees, evergreens, and shrubs. You can also prune roses now.
Once you can easily work the soil outside, plant directly in the ground seeds of fast-germinating cool-season vegetables, such as radishes, spinaches, and lettuces.
Plant bareroot trees, shrubs, and roses. Click here for a complete list of what to plant when this month and the rest of the year.
Prevent diseases and insects on fruit trees by spraying with horticultural oil, also called dormant oil. Do so when there is little wind and temps are in the 40s.
The bright yellow forsythia will be blooming soon. When it does, that means its time to sprinkle any preemergent herbicide (kills weed seeds, such as Preen) on flower beds, if you choose to use it. It's also the time to apply a preemergent to your lawns. Or save time with a weed and feed combo!
Stock up now on pots, potting soil, seeds and seed-starting supplies, tools, soil amendments, fertilizers, etc.
How's your mower? If you didn't get it tuned up last fall and the blade sharpened, do it yourself now or take it in before the spring rush.
Same for any shears or other sharp cutting or slicing objects, including spades and hoes. If you haven't already, invest in a sharpening stone. It makes all the difference. Click here to learn how.
| 
I won't even begin to tell you how much I spend on plants each year. (I never told my ex-husband, so why should I share here? Ha!) But I do get the most for my money.