The Garden Life: Certain plants OK to get garden going now

Despite periods of mild weather, it is still a gamble to sow early vegetables outdoors. If cold weather returns, the seeds are likely to rot before they germinate. Some vegetables run to seed when they are subjected to cold conditions after germinating. Seasoned vegetable gardeners start vegetables from seed in a green house or cold frame and plant them out in the garden when warmer temperatures are here to stay.

If you want to get your outdoor garden started now, put your efforts into hardy crops like fava beans and early peas. Peas and beans germinate readily in warm soil, but are less reliable in early spring when the soil temperature fluctuates. In most years, I can’t resist giving a few vegetables a shot at early planting. I am always willing to experiment with a few of my favorite vegetables.

o Prune all plant material to remove any diseased, dead, weak or crossing branches.

o Complete tree pruning before new growth begins.

o Prune late-flowering shrubs such as buddleia and Hydrangea paniculata but wait until after flowering on early-flowering shrubs like forsythia, Hydrangea macrophylla, rhododendron and syringa.

o Wait to prune evergreens, hedges and other shrubs until late spring into early summer.

o Prune all fruit trees before growth begins.

o Prune hybrid tea roses, floribundas and grandifloras but wait until after flowering on climbers and ramblers.

o Prune back leggy perennials.

o Cut back ornamental grasses to new shoots.

o Fertilize deciduous, broad-leaved and needle-leaved evergreen trees and shrubs if not fed in the fall.

o Apply fertilizer to roses as new growth begins.

o Fertilize and lime the vegetable garden.

There is usually enough seed in each packet for a couple of plantings, especially for a small family-sized vegetable plot. Think of it as planting in succession and always hold enough seed in reserve so that you will be prepared to resow later in the season if the first batch does not do well. If the mild season holds, those who take a chance might be well ahead of the game.

Plant onion sets in the garden now. Onion sets are packages of very small onion bulbs and this is an easy way to sow and grow a summer crop of onions. In prepared garden soil, run a string line across the bed for a straight row. Dig a small trench along the line with the edge of a hoe or trowel. This is called a drill and should be only deep enough so the onion set can rest under the soil line with its tip still protruding above the soil level. After setting the onions, crumble soil back over the drill, leaving the tips showing. Bon appetite.

If you are thinking of adding any fruit, flowering or shade trees to the garden, this is the time of year to plant them. Most garden outlets receive an assortment of new trees during the last weeks of winter, so the best plant selections are available now. Because the trees are dormant, they transplant with a minimum of setback. Likewise, you can plant evergreens and deciduous shrubs anytime the temperatures are above freezing.

Right tree for right place

If you are selecting fruit trees, know before you shop which variety or cultivar will be best for your garden. Check online or ask a master gardener for help in the decision process. If you go into a nursery without this information, ask a certified nursery person on duty which of the varieties are recommended for your area. If they do not know, hold off until you find a retailer that can provide this service. You want the right tree for the right place in your garden.

If you like having early spring bulbs in your garden, now is the time to note where you want additional blooms next spring. Include a list of bulbs you haven’t planted before. Try one of the delightful Pheasant’s-eye daffodils (Narcissus poeticus), also known as the Poet’s Narcissi. Great naturalizers, these are among the last daffodils to bloom, with large white petals surrounding a tiny, red-rimmed yellow cup — hence the name. This delightful selection also boasts a light fragrance.

Don’t pass up the smaller daffodils. These are among the earliest to flower and are quite durable, especially good for rock gardens. Narcissus “Tete-a-tete” is so reliable that it’s a perennial choice for my own garden. Whenever I see a group of these little wonders in the garden, heads nodding as if in intimate conversation with innumerable identical twin plants, I have to smile at the lighthearted play on words.

Robb Rosser is a WSU-certified Master Gardener. Reach him at Write2Robb@aol.com.