In the next month, when perennials like these mums first appear, you can divide them. / Register file photo
ē If you havenít already, thereís still time to start tomato, pepper and other vegetable seeds inside. Use sterile seed-starting mix instead of regular potting soil for best results.
ē Repot houseplants if needed. Although many houseplants donít mind being a bit root-bound, finding roots poking out of the drainage hole of the pot is usually a sign that itís time to find the plant a bigger container.
ē Finish pruning shrubs while itís still easy to see where to cut. In general, remove branches that are growing toward the center ó your goal is to keep the middle of the shrub open enough to let some light and air through. Remove crossing or rubbing branches, too.
ē Speaking of pruning, if you plan to prune a hedge this spring, remember that you should always keep the base of the hedge wider than the top ó this allows light to reach the lower branches. (When you see hedges that are sparse at the bottom, itís usually because someone has trimmed them so that the top is wider than than the base.)
In the next month
ē Plant peas, broccoli, spinach and cabbage.
ē You can divide most perennials when they first emerge in the spring. If you see plants coming up with a ring of growth surrounding a dead center, thatís a sign itís time to divide. If you divide spring- or early-summer-blooming perennials early, youíll have fewer flowers than you normally would, but it may be worth it to get new plants to spread around! Donít forget that youíll need to keep newly divided plants watered this summer while they get established.
Stephanie Bruner is a freelance writer from Des Moines who has a degree in horticulture.