- Trees shrubs and vines can be planted but avoid bareroot stock now. Stick with container grown plants at this late date.
- Weather is still ideal for laying sod, patching bare areas by overseeding or starting lawns from seed.
- Lawn mowing will begin as cool season grasses respond to ideal temperatures and spring rain. Most lawns will need to be mowed weekly. Keep lawns between 1-2 inches in the spring and don’t allow to get higher than 3 inches before you mow it again if possible.
- Test soil and fertilize lawn and adjust pH if necessary. Use a SOIL TEST KIT or the MINI 4-IN-1 GARDEN TESTER. Spring lawns are growing fast and will most likely need a fertilizer with a 3-1-2 (Nitrogen-Phosphours-Potash) ratio.
- There is still time to prune late flowering woody plants that bloom on this season’s growth like trumpet vine (Capmsis), Cross Vine (Bignonia), Glossy Abelia, Butterfly Bush, Bluebeard, Wild Lilac (Ceanothus), Hardy Fuchsias and Hydrangeas.
- Transplanting and hardening off plants. In all areas of the garden you may be transplanting plants both large and small. If plants have been grown in a sheltered area either indoors at your home or somewhere else in a greenhouse it behooves you to adjust the plants slowly to the outdoors. The plants will fare much better and grow faster if they have been allowed time to adjust to the increased light levels, wind as well as cooler temperatures. Ask you garden center if they know the history of the plant you are buying. If it has been grown outdoors,already outdoors for over 2 weeks at the center, or is a dormant/bareroot plant then you can forgo hardening them off. Otherwise before transplanting bring them into full outdoor exposure slowly. Bring them outside for about 4 hours during the warmest part of the day (noon to 4) during the first week and increase up incrementally to 8 hours and then in the second week leave it outside in a sheltered spot and then finally into a fully exposed spot similar to where you will be planting it.
