We've got....sunshine...VA

Could it be spring approaching?

The Rosemary has flowers....the sedum are coming up...and there's the daffodils!!! Yeah...I'm so excited!!!

We've got lots of bulbs with big fat buds, but no flowers yet!

Shirley,
Your temps are similar to mine...so they should be arriving soon...right? I was amazed just in the last few days what mine have done.
Chantell

I've got lots of bulbs up, too. No flowers yet but the hyacinths and daffodils definitely have buds coming. I think they will probably be okay with the colder temps forecast for next weekend, as long as no flowers, but I'm concerned about all my tulips that are coming up. It seems to me this is waaaay too early for them and they won't tolerate much of any frost, will they? Some of our trees are ready to break out with blossoms, too. Much as I love seeing everything "wake up" in the spring, I think maybe they should sleep just a little longer? Nothing to do about it, I guess.

Does anybody have a suggestion for some perennials that can live happily among daffodil bulbs (and bloom later, like in the summer)? We have a spot in our front yard where we used to have a viburnum that just outgrew the spot. There is a weeping cherry in back and a Japanese maple next to the area. Last fall, after the viburnum left us, I planted several dozen daffodil bulbs so that the area would not look empty in the spring. The bulbs are coming up now but once they are over, I will need something else in that spot. I thought about daylilies but they just aren't one of my favorites although I do have them in other parts of the yard. Also have Autumn Joy sedum and liriope next to this area, in the border in front of the Japanese maple. Gets morning sun, in shade by early afternoon. I would love some suggestions . . .

I am also worried about upcoming frosts. It seems that the weekend heat wave has awoken just about everything. I see forsythia, pear trees, redbuds, cherry trees and magnolias all starting to bloom. These are not all supposed to be blooming at the same time. A quick check online shows low temps forcasted for the mid 20's this weekend. It seems like we are going to have one dramatic show in the next two weeks, or a frost is going to spoil the show.

I am a little curious what effect the mild winter temps will have on perennials. I know that we got a few blasts of cold weather, but I had a number of perennials that showed green growth for most of the winters. Have they been growing over the winter and will be super-sized this summer or has the weather screwed up their cycle?

- Brent

Yes...scarey isn't it? My dwarf magnolia is covered in blooms...a few almost open. The trees in our area went from bitty buds on Fri. to completely opened by Sun. afternoon. Hope everything does ok!

Que sera--sera!!!

Can't do anything about Mother Nature! We, in the glorious "Mid Atlantic" should be used to this by now! Just a plea to the non-initiated---------PLEASE do not think you can plant anything outside NOW, no matter how great the weather is! We are still in for winter weather! Shrubs and trees are OK. Bulbs and annuals are not!

If your bulbs are all up and budding, keep your fingers crossed that we won't get a frost. If we do, the buds/blooms may be affected. if it is only the leaves up, they will be OK!

Here's what you CAN do in this glorious weather:

--Apply a Crab Grass pre-emergent control NOW--if you need to!
--Clean up your beds and your lawn.
--Rake up all the leaves that blew your way from down the street.
--Now is the time to prune your roses and to fertilize them. Add
a handful of Epsom Salts around each Rose bush to stimulate
new canes to form from the bud union.
--Prune/shear your hedges before the new growth starts.
--Cut back/trim your evergreens (NOT azalias or Rhodos!!)
--Prepare your beds for planting. Incorporate compost or shreaded
leaves from last fall into your beds. DIG! Turn over the soil!
--Remove all old mulch from around your roses and perennials and
replace with fresh mulch. Fertilize now as is appropriate.
--Water, water, water! Everything is bone dry! NO rain!
--Plant Spring Pansies. Plant fruit trees. Plant shrubs and trees.
--Divide your older perennials. Share these with friends.
--Start putting out "stuff" that birds can use for making nests. Bits of
fluffy string, fine roots you dig up, loose grass, etc.
Keep feeding them! They need good nutrition at this time.
--Repair/clean/oil all your garden tools.
--Repair and clean all your lawn furniture.
--Take inventory of what fertilizers, bug repellants, sprays, etc. you
have now. Buy only what you need. Old is not good when it
comes to these products.
--Replace any landscape timbers you use as bed-edgings if needed.
--Dig up and divide Hostas, Stella d'Oro daylilies, Sedums, Shasta
Daisies, Primroses, etc. Share....share....share!
--Prepare the soil in your large planter pots so all you will have to do
is plop the newly purchased plants in them. Voila!
--Start seeds indoors--if you are so inclined.
--If you have been growing cuttings of something (Begonias, Imps.,
Coleus, and such) on your windowsills and they are now a mass
of water roots, take cuttings again and start over so they will
be ready to be planted outdoors.
--Until we have ample rains--water, water, water!!!!

I am sure I have forgotten something here, but I have been pondering all these thing myself the last couple of days. Spring is full of Garden Chores! it is what makes the difference for the rest of the season!

Gita