WEEK ONE
| Begin to remove winter coverings. Clear mulch carefully to avoid injuring new growth. | ||
| Make sure soil is not too wet before turning over. | ||
| Unwrap roses, prune deadwood, remove mulch from crowns. | ||
| Start weeding onion grass and chickweed. | ||
You can plant pansies now. | ||
| It’s not too late to sow sweet peas outdoors. Saint Patrick’s Day and Good Friday are the traditional days for this. | ||
| Start weeding onion grass and chickweed. | ||
| Train vines to their supports, tying up branches dislodged by winter winds. Cut off bruised and broken ends. | ||
| Check shrubs for suckers and prune. | ||
| Paint railings and steps. | ||
| Scrub terraces and balconies. | ||
| Visit local nurseries to select trees and shrubs. |
WEEK TWO
Buy new containers and tubs. Fill with soil in anticipation of planting. | ||
| Soak and plant second round of sweet peas. | ||
| Plant cool weather vegetables : lettuces, herbs, beets cabbages, onions and leeks. | ||
| Rake the last of the dead leaves from lawns and beds. | ||
| Hose down house siding. | ||
| Cultivate and rake perennial borders. Feed with commercial fertilizer. | ||
| Seed the lawn. | ||
| Fertilize lawns, shrubs and roses. |
WEEK THREE
Consider the gift plants. Prepare to deal with your Easter gifts by locating a place either outdoors in the soil, or outdoors in a larger pot. | ||
| Beware of cut-rate plants. There are no bargains in this world. | ||
| Watch out for rabbits, chipmunks, and voles. Look for tell-tale holes. If you have any success in keeping them at bay, please let us know. | ||
| Track down the little bulbs-- crocus, scilla and their kin -- and take notes for your fall orders. | ||
| Finish dividing perennials that performed poorly last year. | ||
| Last call to move large trees and shrubs. |
WEEK FOUR
| Keep your gift plants indoors until the nights are consistently warm. |
| Prune forsythia and other spring flowering shrubs whenever the blooms are finished. |
| If the soil is not sticky, sow seeds of hardy vegetables and flowers. Make sure night temperatures are steady at or above 55F. |
| You might be able to keep pansies blooming through early July by picking off the dead blossoms so that seeds will not form. If they are planted in a shady spot for part of the day, they will bloom even longer.. |
| If you are growing lavender, prune it back hard to encourage new growth. |
| Cut back Russian sage, leaving just six to twelve inches of woody growth. Pinch out the tips of new growth to encourage a bushier form. |
| If you see ants on peony buds, leave them in peace; they are harmless. |
