Northern California Coastal & Inland Valleys
Start Spring Annuals
Start spring-blooming annuals from seed indoors. Fill seed trays with fresh potting soil and water it well. Sow seed in rows on the surface of the soil. Cover with a light dusting of fresh potting soil, label with variety and date planted, then water lightly with a mister. Place seed trays in a warm, sunny location free from drafts. Cover them with large, clear plastic bags to hold humidity and warmth. Mist and check daily until germination occurs; then open the bag to allow for air circulation. Remove the bag completely when seeds germinate.
Force Bulbs Indoors
Fool Mother Nature into believing it's spring inside your house. You can force some types of spring-hardy bulbs such as tulips, daffodils, crocus, hyacinth, and narcissus into bloom indoors with a little encouragement. Plant bulbs in containers filled with fresh potting soil, water them, then place them in your refrigerator. When the bulbs have formed roots, move the pots to a cool room with bright light. Once foliage and buds form, move the pots out into living areas to enjoy.
Place a layer of well-rotted manure over dormant perennial plants to promote strong, healthy growth this spring. Not only perennial flowers such as coreopsis and echinacea, but ferns, ground covers, and even vegetables such as asparagus and rhubarb will appreciate this nourishing soil treatment.
Prune Fruit Trees
Prune apple, pear, plum and other deciduous fruit trees by first removing all dead, diseased, and injured wood. Fruiting wood is dark and gnarly, as opposed to vegetative water sprouts, which are light in color, grow straight up from the branches, and don't produce fruit. Remove water sprouts and leave fruiting wood, pruning to keep the branches low so they're easier to harvest.