Everywhere are innocent bulbs, frozen in time after having been fooled into thinking the sun was here to stay.  Flowering trees are covered with buds that don’t know whether to burst out or cower-and-cling.  It’s a mess.

March can be pretty scary around here, weather-wise.  Sun and snow shadow each other, this year more than ever.  Predicting the weather is a crap shoot, for plants and flowers as much as for weather prognosticators. 

Everywhere are innocent bulbs, frozen in time after having been fooled into thinking the sun was here to stay.  Flowering trees are covered with buds that don’t know whether to burst out or cower-and-cling.  It’s a mess.

So you gotta love the forsythia.  When it comes to weather, it is fearless.  Come sun or snow, we can count on those magnificent brilliant-yellow flowering shrubs to dress up our lawns every March.  And they do flourish in our area, don’t they?

If you are adding new forsythia to your landscape, remember they are a fast growing shrub, leaping from one to two feet in height and width every year!  So plant them where there is plenty of room to spread out.

While they are not picky and will grow in almost any local locale, throw in some peat moss or manure when planting them and they’ll do even better.  If they are in a slightly shady location, it won’t hurt them but being exposed to full sun will really bring them to peak performance.

Also pruning your forsythia is important.  Those big overgrown ones that are just gargantuan in size are cool, but years of neglect (i.e. failure to prune) will inevitably cause them to cease blooming altogether.  The best time to prune is right after they are done blooming.  Prune some of the oldest stems down to about 4-5 inches from the ground to encourage even better and healthier growth. 

I adore the way cut forsythia branches look in a vase.  They are just magnificent.  Be sure to remove any buds or greenery that will be submerged in the vase – they will just rot and get nasty. 

More fun – leave them in the vase even after the blooms have gone and they will root.  Once you’ve got some good-sized roots amassed, take them outside and plant them to increase your bounty in seasons to come.  Yes, late fall/winter is the best time to plant forsythia – that is when they are dormant.  But you can safely plant them ANY time in our area. 

Yesterday I spotted the biggest fattest blue jay strutting around my front yard.  Not hopping, not flitting, but strutting.

It’s easy to imagine why.  I pictured tiny little wrens, sparrows and finches, half-starved and shivering, being mercilessly pushed aside by the jays who proceeded to devour every bit of seed in sight.

Just a reminder - put out lots of extra seed for the birds this month.  Jays are notoriously pushy!  Also if you have a birdbath, don’t forget to break the ice.  They need that water.  You might even consider a birdbath heater.  (You may deem it a luxury, but I bet the birds don’t!  Besides, they are not that expensive.)

And if you do not have a birdhouse on your property, think about one for birds who had no timeshare to escape to and are stuck here for the winter.  A little extra nesting spot is always appreciated.

The warmer than normal temperatures, combined with just enough rainfall, have resulted in the best fall planting conditions we’ve seen in YEARS in this area!

Fall has always been prime planting time.  Trees, shrubs and perennials planted now will have all winter to get their roots all tucked in.  By the time spring comes around, the root systems will be firmly established, resulting in a tremendous burst of growth. 

It’s so silly to wait until spring to plant.  The big advantage goes to those who know to put things in the ground NOW.

The temperatures have been cool but not freezing, and thanks to the rain, the soil is nice and soft and easy to shovel.  I’m telling you, plant now while the planting’s good!

DON’T’ DO IT!

I know you are just itching to start spreading that mulch around – gardens, newly planted trees and shrubs, tender perennials.  I have just two words for you though:

DON’T’ DO IT!

At least, not yet.  It is way too early to mulch in our area.  See, it is important that you let the soil freeze a bit first – let the cold seep in.  I know that may sound counter-productive, but any horticultural expert worth his or her salt will back me up. 
The best way to remember when it is time to mulch is remember Thanksgiving – “bring out the turkey, bring out the mulch”.  By late November, our area has traditionally been through enough cold temps for the mulch to do its job well.  And it’s job is to PROTECT!

One other tip – when mulching around trees, do not pile the mulch up right next to the tree.  You are not trying to protect the trunk, you are trying to protect the roots.  So spread the mulch out over the ground and up close to the trunk, but not up against it where burrowing insects can hide and possibly do damage to the tree.

Who’s got the goods?  When it comes to the weather, gardeners have often got the biggest stake – and the best insight – into the weather.

According to the new Farmer’s Almanac, we can expect an extra icy cold winter this year – much more so than usual.

According to the National Weather Center, temperatures this winter are going to be warmer than is normal.

So there it is.  The ultimate face-off.  Science versus folklore.  El Nino versus planetary positions.  What fun!

Just out of curiosity, anybody care to make a prediction your own?

Mums fill the bill.  But there is one thing you have to know about mums….

Traditional fall mums are popping up for sale everywhere, even though it is still a little early.  They prefer cool weather to hot, but with summer annuals starting to fade, folks are anxious to put out something new. 

Mums fill the bill.  But there is one thing you have to know about mums….

Fortunately, it is has been my experience that there is ONLY one thing – that is, one key to keeping your mums gorgeous and blooming, even in a still-hot month like September.

Water.  Water, water, water.  Skip one day of watering your mums, and you might get away with it.  Skip two and they are history.  Mums are notoriously unforgiving when it comes to letting them dry out, so don’t do it!

Water them early in the day and water them EVERY day.  If your mum is potted and has good drainage (a necessity), then it is just about impossible to over-water them.  Really. 

Some folks like to plant them inground, but I’ve never had much success with that.  I put them in the yard and on the porch in pots and they’re just the coolest autumn bloomers!  As inexpensive as mums are, even when you buy them from garden centers instead of box stores (which is always preferable), they are well worth the few bucks they cost when you get a few months of beauty in return.

A few words about beating back mosquitoes, the natural way!  I, for one, am endlessly tortured by the nasty buggers who seem to prefer my blood to that of those around me.  In fact, I have had friends ask me to their outdoor parties to act as a mosquito repellent, knowing their other guests will not be bothered by the little bloodsuckers if I am around.

Hey, a party’s a party.

Anyway, a little horticultural assistance can go a long way in repelling them.  The oil from catnip has actually been found to be ten times better at repelling mosquitoes than DEET.  Really!  I wouldn’t plant them in the ground, though, or you’ll be overrun with cats.  Instead, put them in pots and containers around the porch or deck.

Rosemary works well, too.  It also has an oil that mosquitoes smell and avoid.  But put it in a pot as well, since its tropical roots ( no pun intended) mean that it won’t survive winter outside.

Finally, marigolds.  Mosquitos detest their scent and avoid them at all costs.  I would suggest putting together some pots with marigolds at the center, surrounded by rosemary, then circled with catnip.  Pretty to look at, and good at deterring skeeters.  What more could you want?

If you only grow one herb, make it this one!

Lemon verbena.  Wow.  Instant aromatherapy.  Just pinch a leaf, rub it gently and inhale.  Then let relaxation ensue. Aaaah.

If you have never smelled lemon verbena in its natural state, know that the scent is more than just lemony.  It has a soft sweetness to it as well – almost like the barest wisp of vanilla.  It is just heavenly.

Fortunately, it is also easy to grow.  It needs plenty of sun and doesn’t like to be too dry.  I grow mine in a container so that in winter, I can move it to the garage with some mulch on top, then bring it out again next spring.  It has only been a couple years, but so far it comes back quite nicely.

It can also be planted in the ground as long as you cut it back and cover it really well with lots of mulch before the first frost hits.

A little time in the oven on it’s lowest setting will dry it out quite nicely.  It retains its special aroma really well when dried. 

Of course it is wonderful in tea and as a flavor enhancer for fish.  But as for me, I am won over entirely by it’s scent and enjoy it for that reason alone.  Like most herbs, it is really affordable, too.  I paid less than five dollars at my favorite greenhouse for a good sized plant that stood about 8 inches tall. 

Worth every penny.  Aaaaaaaahhhhh.

Most folks are so anxious for color in their yards, they stock up on annuals at the first sign of spring.  I admit I did too, though to a lesser extent than most.

That’s because I know that if I can hold out until late June, I can get some major bargains!  Because of the early season rush, most garden centers stock up early on annuals, then start featuring their beautiful tropicals mid-summer.  So they start price-cutting the annuals, but at the same time, still have new annuals arriving because the demand never quite dies out.

Did I say that right?  Anyway, the bottom line is you can find some great deals on some good healthy annuals if you look for them.  Some box-store garden departments will only have wilted-looking leftovers but garden centers will have new strong ones to choose from.

Best of all, we still have about four good months to enjoy them.  As you know, summer around here goes on through September and the freezes that kill off the last of the annuals don’t set in (usually) until early November. 

So I’m stocking up!  I just got two big cholea plants for three bucks each – they’re huge!  And I’m just getting’ warmed up…

The grassless tracks that appeared in my lawn were the first clue.  Soft spots indicating the ground underneath was not solid were the dead giveaway.

I am under attack by moles.  And I only WISH getting rid of them was as easy as a trip to the dermatologist!

The myriad of ways to trap and/or kill moles are nasty, difficult (to me, anyway), and pricey.  What a pain!  But ignoring them is not an option, given the damage they can do to the lawn grass and gardens.

Thank goodness I have access to some knowledgeable folks who told me I was going about it all wrong. 

Forget trying to catch/kill/rehabilitate (whatever) the moles.  Instead, take away their reason for the invasion.

Slugs.  That’s it.  That’s why they come.  Evidently that is why they do just about anything they do. 

Even better news is that getting rid of slugs in your lawn is a lot easier and lot cheaper.  Go to your favorite local garden center, get their advice on something to spread on the lawn to kill the slugs, and there you go.  No slugs, no reason for the moles to come around.

Ah, but that all problems were so easily solved!

…you should see what it’s doing to your plants.  Keep an eye on your annuals and perennials this month, especially those you’ve just planted.

The heat can drain the water from them more quickly than you might think.  Newbies in your landscape are especially vulnerable. 

Mulch helps.  Add a layer of mulch around your trees, shrubs and gardens to help conserve the moisture in the soil so that if you miss a watering or two, it won’t be the end of the world.  (More accurately, the end of your plant!)

Watch out when you are mulching around trees, though.  Leave a space between the trunk and the mulch.  Too many folks make the mistake of piling the mulch up right against the tree trunk, thereby encouraging insects that invade the mulch to munch on the tree as well.  You are trying to conserve water in the ground above the roots – remember that when you spread it.

Speaking of mulch, I know a lot of folks who are crazy about that mulch that is made from shredded tires – dyed appropriately, of course.  I have to say it does feel neat to walk on.  I haven’t tried it myself though so I can’t really say I recommend it at this point.  Anyone else?

I came across one of these the summer before last.  It’s an annual so it has to be replaced each year, and last year, I was crushed when I was unable to find one.  This year, though, my garden is once again sporting the most care-free show-stopping flowering climber I’ve ever come across!

Its official name is Dipladenia Trellis.  Too much trouble to say.  I call it my denia.  And I’m telling you I have NEVER owned such a gorgeous hearty climber.

Has anyone else ever had one of these?  That thing grows so bushy and thick and lush with blooms, it’s hard to believe!  Deadheading is easy – the spent blossoms come right off with barely a tug.  What drama it adds to the yard!  Gorgeous red (they come in pink too) with a yellow throat and a really sturdy twining.  Prop it with a small trellis and watch it go! 

I just had to tell you about it.  Give it full sun, water it every now and then.  My last denia bloomed continuously right through fall.  It’s just amazing.  Check it out! 

Anyone else have a garden favorite to share?  I’m always looking for new ideas…

The blooms look like roses – absolutely gorgeous.  Available in a variety of heavenly colors and color-blends, they are super easy to grow and tend either in-ground or in baskets or planters.  They are a couple dollars more than other annuals, but totally worth it.  You can keep your petunias and snaps and pansies and geraniums…

Just give me my begonias!  I get the ones called Everblooming Begonias and cannot rave enough about their beauty.

You can plant or place them in full sun or shade – they don’t care!  Water them well and let them dry thoroughly before you water them again.  If you plant them in-ground (and I’ve had them grow to two or three feet in width when planted in-grouond), dig out some of the clay soil, loosen up what’s there, and use some good loose black potting soil. 

As blooms and leaves die, just cut or pinch them off.  And begonias are very resistant to insects and disease – I’d be very surprised to see either!  Some people transition them indoors in fall, but I usually just let mine go at the end of the season. 

I pay about 4-5 bucks for a plant in a 4 inch pot (that’s the Everblooming variety) from my favorite garden center.  As with most flowers, trees and shrubs, I refuse to buy them anywhere except at a true garden center or greenhouse – not someplace that has a garden center “department”.  I learned a long time ago that where you buy your plants matters a lot.  Lots of them look healthy and seem strong, but could have come from anywhere – you just don’t know.  I would bring them home only to have them either not perform well or at all.  I have yet to have that happen with one I buy at a legit garden center.

You gotta try begonias this year.  Heavenly!

Okay, I admit it.  I just HAD to find out if tomatoes grow better – or at least as well – upside down.  I went Topsy Turvy and I’m not ashamed to admit it.

It makes sense, doesn’t it?  There’s really no reason why it shouldn’t work and the idea of no bending over, no staking, etc. was just too tempting to pass up.  It’s too soon to tell if it is going to work, but my uncle and I have a contest going on – he’s growing his tomatoes the old fashioned way and I’m doing the upside down bit.  I’ll let you know how it turns out.

In the meantime, I’m curious as to whether anyone else has tried the Topsy Turvy?  It’s been around for awhile – it is just now taking off though.  I understand this is not a new idea – I heard folks have been drilling holes in the bottom of buckets and growing tomatoes wrongside-up for years.  Anybody else?

The Tennessee State Flower – Bearded Iris – is a tall, stately beauty that thrives in our part of the state.  To KEEP it thriving, April is a good month to divide and conquer!

Conquer things like stunted growth and potential root rot problems by dividing your iris every few years.  It is essential to keeping them healthy and flourishing, plus it gives you the opportunity to spread their beauty around to other parts of your landscape!

Dividing your bearded iris is not limited to April – you can actually do it any time throughout the summer – but as with a lot of garden chores, if I can do it before the temps get super-hot, that’s gonna be my choice every time!

Start by using a pitchfork (I use a mini-one and it works just as well) to dig around the plant.  Start several inches away from the outermost edge and be gentle as you lift the rhizomes (that’s the underground stem that has roots and shoots coming from it) out of the soil.

Shake off the loose soil, then rinse it with a hose.  That’s not essential, but I’ve found it is a whole lot easier to work with when I can see clearly what I’m doing by getting the dirt off of it.

Once you’ve separated the stems (rhizomes), you’ll see natural places to make a split.  You want each section to end up being at least three inches long and have lots of root growth.  Use a pruner/clipper to make the cut and before you plant it in its new home, soak the soil really good.  Spread out the roots when you put it in and whatever you do, don’t go to deep – only an inch or two of soil should cover the roots.  It’s going to settle a little on its own and if an iris is planted too deep, it won’t bloom.  Give it a good watering once it’s in place and you’re done. 

I’m getting ready to divide a big bunch of iris at my mother’s house that really should have been done last year – they’re so thick!  I’m bringing some over to my place to plant and giving some to a neighbor – it’s a nice thing to give someone, especially if you also offer to plant it for them!

One of the best pieces of advice I’ve ever received regarding my lawn grass (and trust me, my occasional ineptness has resulted in A LOT of advice over the years) is in regards to battling the often-dry weather that summer brings to East Tennessee and Southwest Virginia. 

With summers leaning toward dry conditions and April/early May tending to be wet, this is a great time take advantage of one and beat the other.  The solution is aerating!  If I aerate my lawn in April while the soil is so wet, it primes it to hold and receive and retain water better throughout the summer.  Neat trick, eh?

Another bonus is that you can save a little money on water this summer.  Your lawn grass will hold up better during any mini-droughts so you won’t have to water as often!
I borrow an simple walk-behind aerator from a friend – never got one myself.  If your lawn is relatively small, you can just use a pitchfork to punch the soil.  Aerators come in all sizes, depending on how big your lawn is.  You can rent them too, but my favorite idea is to find a few friends who would also like to have access to one and split the cost between you.  Most folks only need an aerator once or twice a year – me, just the once since I don’t have a big veggie garden.  I just use it on my lawn in April. 

Just make sure the friends you buy it with are ones you’ve known awhile and trust!

Right next door, a home had two bushes out front that absolutely paled in comparison.  So I wondered what’s the difference – why do some azaleas just scream color, and other just kinda whisper?

I talked to some local experts and here’s what I found out.

We LOVE our azaleas around here.  What an incredible show they put on this time of year.  Yesterday I drove by a home with a long row of 7 or 8 azalea in the brightest red, the strongest pink and the most showy purples I had ever seen! 

Right next door, a home had two bushes out front that absolutely paled in comparison.  So I wondered what’s the difference – why do some azaleas just scream color, and other just kinda whisper?

I talked to some local experts and here’s what I found out.

I ran into a one great big “Do” and several “Don’ts” to pass on to you.  The most important Do seems to be to feed well and feed them often.  Look for a food specifically made for azalea – don’t just use something generic.  A good azalea food will have lots of acidic nutrients and the good news is that the ones I came across are relatively inexpensive – less than ten bucks. 

Mix some of the food into the soil around your azaleas as soon as they finish blooming this month.  They are going to start using that food right away to prep for NEXT year’s blooms.  Then fertilize them again once a month all summer.  Stop feeding them in September since they’re heading into their dormant season. 

Now next year’s blooms are going to start forming within a few months from now, so DON’T prune your azalea once those buds form.

During late spring and early summer, make sure your azaleas DON’T dry out.  During this time while they’re forming next year’s buds, they are going to need more moisture than usual.  If it dries out during this crucial time, next year’s blooms are going to suffer for it.

DON’T plant your azalea in a spot where they are going to get less than three hours of sun daily.  Sure, they can still live in partial sun but they won’t produce nearly as many blooms.

Finally, if the foliage on your azalea is kind of a dull dark green – maybe with some reddening underneath the leaves – DON’T ignore it.  That’s a sign that your soil is not phosphorus enough for the kind of showy colorful blooms you want from an azalea. 

I gotta take a picture of that house with all those different colored azaleas in a row.  I’ll see if I can get one up later this week – you’re gonna flip when you see it.  Words can’t do it justice.

In the meantime, if anybody else wants to share some Do’s or Don’ts on growing freakin’ GORGEOUS azaleas, let’s hear from you!

Hard economic times always find folks taking up vegetable gardening who have never done so before.  Let me officially welcome you to the unofficial group of veggie growers in our area, and offer a piece of advice.  Use March to get your vegetable garden bed ready.  Mix some well-rotted or processed manure (yuck, I know, but it helps – what can I say).  Peat moss and compost are also good for building humus in the soil.  A good rich garden bed for your veggies makes all the difference in how well your crop grows.

There are a lot of what they call cold-hardy vegetables that you can go ahead and plant now.  Broccoli, for instance, is one that not only thrives in the cold but actually tastes better when planted in cold early spring temps!  Find a local garden center you trust and ask them about which veggies are safe to plant this month.  (No offense to box stores with gardening departments, but I’ve learned to put my trust in local growers with lots of experience in gardener in this area.  Makes a real difference, in my opinion.  You have to be careful who you trust for advice when it comes to successful growing.)

I learned the hard way that removing winter mulch should be done gradually, not all at once.  This month you can start taking off the top layer of mulch, then continue to do so a little at a time so that it times out with the mulch being removed completely in May.  Things start to sprout now so I gave in to the temptation to get the mulch out of the way early one year.  One of our late spring freezes was all it took to make my mistake obvious!  Eek!

I’ve noticed in our area that lots of folks have ornamental grasses like that gorgeous pampass grass that, as they mature, get downright huge!  It looks beautiful but is a real bear to prune, and March IS the time to get at it.  I’ve found that bundling the grass toward its roots with a strong piece of rope or twine makes it easier.  (My neighbor has such a huge clump of pampass, it took two of us to bundle it last year – and from the looks of it, it may take a team of three this year!)

Remember to prune back your other ornamentals this month, too.  I have some Northern Sea Oats in my front yard that I have high hopes for this year.  They’ve done well in previous seasons, but not great.  It’s been three years now, though – remember the old gardeners’ saying:  First year, they sleep.  Second year, they creep.  Third year, they leap!  I’ve got my fingers crossed!

My lawn grass is a disaster this year!  Some dead-looking spots usually pop up over winter, but it seems like this year there are more than usual.  I’m going to try a new product I heard about that will fertilize the lawn, kill mature weeds like dandelions, and keep other weed seeds from setting in, all in one product.  I have to wait until May to use it but I’m going to go ahead and have it on hand. 

Something you can do right now for your lawn is plant is some grass seed in any bare spots.  Next month will be too warm for the seed to germinate so this isn’t the time to procrastinate!

I tried something new this year – I planted some bulbs in containers instead of in the yard.  I’m a little concerned though – they don’t appear to be sprouting yet, while the ones in the yard are showing green already.  I’m going to try some bulb booster and see if that helps – I’ll let ya’ll know.  I planted tulips and hyacinth (love that scent!).  I learned a while back that tulip bulbs don’t generally produce very well past two or three seasons.  So if yours have been coming back each year for longer than that, consider yourself lucky!

I don’t know about you, but this time of year when those warm spells hit every now and then, I want to get my hands in the dirt so bad I can’t hardly stand it!  I know the official frost-free date for our area is May 10th, so I have to cool my jets until then for the most part.  The good news, though, is that there are some things I can plant right now – and this year, I’m going for it! 

I’m shooting for trees and shrubs – you know, you can plant them any time of year and if you get them in the ground now, before the spring growing season hits, then it kind of gives them a head start.  Gives the roots time to settle in and get comfy before they go to work. 

I don’t have a single pine tree of any kind in my yard right now and I’d like to start with that.  When you buy them small, they’re not too expensive and I’d like to plant a little grove of them in the back yard.  Anybody else have any success growing pines from babies?  Wait – that didn’t sound right.  Change that to “growing baby pines”. 
That’s better.