Spring is technically here now, even though we’ve felt spring-like for many moons. As a result, some of us are fortunate enough to be further ahead in our beginning-of-the-year gardening endeavors than ever before.
And some of us not so. Please don’t stress. It is still early spring, the threat of a frost still looms, some soils are still quite waterlogged, and there’s lots of time. So if you’re overwhelmed in the garden, because it feels later in the spring than it really is, here are a few gardening endeavors that can wait.
Spring is a great time to plant. But if your soil is still real wet and mucky, disturbing the soil by planting will ruin its structure. Avoid planting anything in really wet soil until the water drains off a bit.
It’s still early to plant most annuals and tender perennials. Annuals in nurseries right now have been grown in protected greenhouses.The new growth for geraniums, marigolds, and impatiens, for instance, is easily damaged by frosts and even cool temperatures in the low 40s. Wait at least a few more weeks to plant up your containers with annuals.
If you must plant your containers, because you want to get a jump on spring, gently protect your containers with frost blanket or move them into a protected area in the evening when temperatures dip below 40 F outside.
Many annuals can be grown from seed in spring. Hardy annuals like Calendula, Alyssum, Nigella, and California poppies may be planted directly outdoors right now. However, wait to plant seed outdoors for most other annuals, because they simply will not germinate and may die in cooler temperatures.
Wait to plant starts of summer herbs like dill and basil until late May after all threat of a frost. Go ahead and plant hardy herbs like rosemary, oregano, sage, fennel, and mint.
Wait to plant summer veggies like melons, cucumbers, beans, winter squash, tomatoes, zucchini, corn and peppers; however, you can start seeds for these crops indoors now. Avoid starting seeds indoors like beans and corn, which are just as easily directly sown in the ground after mid-May. Now, however, is a great time to plant outdoors starts of lettuces, chard, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, and Brussels sprouts, to name a few. Again if it’s still wet, wait to plant your below ground crops like onions, garlic, and especially potatoes.
Some winter hardy summer flowering bulbs may be planted now like Asiatic and Oriental Lilies. Wait to plant tender bulbs outside like Dahlias, Gladiolas, Begonias, Caladium and tuberoses; it just too cold and likely still too wet and tender bulbs may just rot. Go ahead and start these in containers, however, in a protected but cool location; be sure they get lots of light!
Wait to prune spring flowering shrubs and trees until after they bloom. Avoid pruning Rhodys, Azaleas, and Lilacs, for instance, but go ahead and prune Forsythia, Skimmia, and winter Heather once they’ve finished blooming. Wait to prune spring blooming Spiraeas like ‘Bridal Wreath’, but go ahead and prune your summer flowering Spiraeas like ‘Gold Flame’ and ‘Lime Mound’.  Know your plant!
Also wait to feed your plants and containers with any liquid fertilizers. It’s still too cool, the plants will not use the fertilizer, and you’ll be wasting money. Instead fertilize with organic, slow-release granular fertilizers.
So it’s ok to wait, but don’t wait too long.
Chuck McClung helps others solve their gardening dilemmas and may be reached at orchidfruit@hotmail.com.

Published March 1, 2010

by Chuck McClung

Perhaps you’ve just bought a new home with no landscaping, or perhaps you’re just unhappy with your existing landscape. Since it seems we’re going to have an early Spring this year, jump on it! A nice, long Spring means more time for new plantings to get established before our dryish summers set in. You say “We’re clueless and we need help.” So how do you find good assistance with your new landscape?
Before you even think about hiring someone, think about what you want from your landscape. You say, “Well, I don’t know, that’s why I need help.” If you’re unhappy with some aspect of your landscape, then you know something, and that’s a start.
Get a piece of paper and literally write down exactly what you don’t like. For example: I don’t like our entryway; I don’t like the view from the street; it’s too crowded; I don’t like Rhododendrons; I don’t like orange (what?!?); I don’t like the shrubs scraping up against the house.
Also write down anything you want: a veggie garden; a path; a pond; low maintenance (I prefer the word commitment); no lawn; some shade; lots of light; etc. If you’re still stuck, just write down words that feel right, even if they don’t seem to make sense in a gardening or landscaping context, e.g. colorful, soft, flowing, easy, open, full, up and down, side to side, bright, whatever. A good landscaper/consultant will find those words immensely helpful.
Word of mouth is the rule of thumb when it comes to landscaping and gardening help. Often, but not always, the best landscapers, gardeners and consultants are like the best plumbers, electricians, builders, and handy people – they don’t advertise much, because they don’t need to. Their work speaks for itself, and word of mouth travels quickly.
Ask around. Ask your friends and coworkers if they have suggestions for landscaping assistance. Do you have a friend whose landscape really speaks to you?  Ask them about it. Do you see a house in your neighborhood whose landscape layout and planting combinations really excite you? Go knock on their door, and ask. Really, try it. Good luck this year, and keep the veggie garden close to the house!
Chuck McClung is the owner of Fantastic Gardens and helps others solve their outdoor and indoor gardening dilemmas. He can be contacted at orchidfruit@hotmail.com.

If you have a living Christmas tree and it’s been indoors for a week, immediately put down this paper and go put it outdoors (then come back and read the rest of the paper). If living trees are indoors more than a week or so, they will begin to break their winter rest and try to grow. Then once returned outdoors, living trees experience tremendous confusion and often die by the end of winter. Upon placing your tree outside choose the sunniest location possible, preferably where it will receive rain. Remove any bags or trays you had around the pot or root ball.

On the other hand, the Norfolk Island Pine, a subtropical tree that should be left indoors until mid to late spring when the threat of a frost is gone. It prefers lots of light, though direct sun all day is not required. Keep the soil evenly moist, not too wet, and definitely not too dry.

Cut Christmas trees can, of course, be left indoors as long as you provide water for the cut end. Please avoid throwing the tree in the garbage once you’re done with it. Scouts and troops have their annual curbside collection of cut Christmas trees. Your cut Christmas tree can also be cut up for kindling, mulch, door swags, etc. But please don’t throw it in the garbage.

Once they’ve worn out their welcome fresh greenwreaths and garland work great as a mulch around perennials, roses, shrubs. Be sure to remove plastic bows or decorations that might blow away and create little in the winter. Fresh green holiday centerpieces and door swags can also be taken apart and used as kindling or mulch. Again, please don’t throw any these into the garbage.

Poinsettias are very easy houseplants to grow year round, if you have lots of light. They usually perform quite well for a few weeks in lower light, but for continued care, poinsettias need full sun. Remove the sleeve, if any, to provide for more air around the roots, and use a tray under the pot. Keep poinsettias evenly moist during winter, not too wet and not too dry, and never allow standing water in the tray. Continue to feed with any houseplant fer- tilizer according to the instructions. If you simply don’t want the plant, give it away or donate it to senior center.

Amaryllis may continue to bloom for some time, especially if they are kept cool, but not less than 50 F. After all the flowers have faded, cut off the entire bloom stalk. Continue to feed with any houseplant fertilizer, according to the instructions, after the long strap-like leaves emerge. Give your amaryllis as much sun as possible. Entirely discontinue watering in mid spring and let the leaves turn yellow to allow the bulb to go dormant. Through the summer store the ama- ryllis bulb in a cool, dark, dry location. Repot it in mid to late fall, and begin to water again. Once more, if you just don’t want it, give it away or place it in the compost pile.