 Greetings!
It's official. Spring has arrived. I spotted my first crocus three days ago. And all over town, tulips, irises, chives, daffodils and other early plants are pushing up through the soil. If they were the American troops liberating Paris, they couldn't be more welcome.
Spring seems to have arrived early this year. We didn't even have the legendary Iowa state girls basketball tournament blizzard! So I've already been able to cut some forsythia branches to force indoors. The buds are juuust starting to open into brilliant yellow flowers. Soon, the Easter lilies will start appearing in stores, with their intoxicatingly clean, almost soapy fragrance.
I've already gotten out there and done some icky yard pickup: trash, dog poop, even the remains of a squirrel. Ugh. Now it's time for more pleasant tasks, like pruning, raking leaves out of flower beds, and just enjoying blue skies and warm(er) breezes.
Yours in happy spring gardening,
Veronica Lorson Fowler |
Pretty Pansies 
Pansies are one of the few flowers you can plant outside now. They'll do fine even if we get some snow and ice in the weeks to come. They do best for me when planted in pots, planters, and containers--perfect by the front door. I've tried planting them in flower beds in the ground, too, but in those less-ideal conditions, pansies tend to struggle.
Pansies are what is called a cool-season annual--they thrive in the cool temperatures of spring and fall but peter out when temperatures regularly hit the 80s.
Check out our best tips for choosing and planting pansies. Find out more about cool-season annuals.
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Damn Rabbits 
I like animals. I really do. But the past two years the rabbits in my backyard have been out of control and been nibbling on things they never did in the past, including yew bushes and lilacs. I don't like it--or them.
The only reliable way to control rabbits is to fence them out with chicken or other closely woven wire. There's no solid evidence that human hair or urine, or bloodmeal, or commercial rabbit repellents work--unfortunately. I wish they did!
Meanwhile, once a plant is damaged, there's not a lot you can do, other than trim away the damaged part, if possible. And hope for the best.
For more details on controlling rabbits, click here.
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Pruning Primers
Now is a great time to get out in your yard and prune just about everything except spring- or summer-blooming shrubs and oak trees (it makes oaks more susceptible to certain diseases). Pruning is part art, part science. Read up on how to do it for different plants and then go forth and experiment. It's something you learn only by trial and error and hands-on experience. 
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Garden Quote
"Springtime is the land awakening. The March winds are the morning yawn."
-- Lewis Grizzard, "Kathy Sue Loudermilk, I Love You"
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Monthly To-Do
 Take advantage of these 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. Toss the old stuff in the compost heap. (Please tell me you have one, right?)
Edge beds, walks, and drives as desired.
Time to prune most large trees, small trees, evergreens, and shrubs. See our "Pruning Primers" article in this email.
Iowa's last average frost date (in mid-May) is fast approaching! Time to start seeds indoors now of annuals that you should start 6-8 weeks before the last average frost date. These include marigolds, globe amaranth, sweet alyssum, and flowering tobacco. Click here for a more detailed planting calendar for Iowa.
Once you can easily work the soil, plant directly in the ground seeds of fast-germinating cool-season vegetables, such as radishes, spinaches, and lettuces.
Plant bareroot trees, shrubs, and roses, as long as you can work the soil easily.
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!
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 a few bucks in a sharpening stone. It makes all the difference. Click here to learn how. |
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Editor's Choice
Garden Events
Saturday, April 9
Des Moines Botanical Gardens
10:00 a.m.-noon
Learn how to select the best site and prepare the soil. Get tips on selecting reliable varieties as well as planting, maintaining and harvesting your garden. Registration required.
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