From the ground up: Prep for planting season now

Can I start gardening in March? What can I plant?

We've had a tough winter and everyone is eager to get out in the garden and start planting. It's a little too early to plant, but there are some ways you can prepare for spring planting. March is a good time to:

• Start seeds for cold season vegetables, such as broccoli, cabbage, peats, potatoes and spinach. Then in April, when the ground is workable, you can plant these vegetables.
• Start seeds for annuals and herbs you will plant in mid-May, after the first frost date. Work backward from your expected planting date. See publication PM 534 at www.extension.iastate.edu/yardgarden for details on planting times for garden vegetables, and read the package information on other plants.
• Start non-hardy summer bulbs such as dahlias, elephant ears and gladiolus inside under lights.
• Clear drainage ditches and gutters of leaves and other debris.
• In late March, clear perennial beds of leaves and cut back ornamental grasses before they begin growing.
• Prune summer-blooming shrubs and trees. But don't prune spring-blooming shrubs such as lilacs, azaleas, rhododendrons and forsythia; wait until they are done blooming.
• Rake your lawn and consider de-thatching/aerating. Wait until the soil temperature is about 60 degrees before putting down herbicides or grass seed.
• Clean up pots using a bleach solution, check your gardening tools and oil them if necessary, and check the tires on your wheelbarrow or garden cart.
• Get watering aids such as sprinklers and soaker hoses ready, but don't put them out until the weather is consistently warm.
• Evaluate garden structures such as trellises and stakes to see what might need to be replaced or repaired.
• Prune fruits and berries while the plants are still dormant. Wait until mid-April to prune roses.
• It's too late to prune your oak tree, as it is emerging from dormancy. Pruning in March can expose it to oak wilt.
• February through March usually is the best time to prune most deciduous trees. The absence of foliage at this time of year gives the individual a clear view of the tree and allows the selection and removal of appropriate branches.
• If your compost has been sitting all winter, it's time to turn it over. If you haven't composted before, spring is a good time to begin.
• March also is a good time to test your soil. Take samples in several locations around your yard. Soil sample kits are available from the Linn County Extension Office.
• It's not too late to check seed catalogs and plant catalogs for ideas.

Jean Murray is a Linn County Master Gardener. Spring is just around the corner. For garden questions, call the Linn County Extension Hortline at (319) 447-0647.