Spring is Almost Here!

Here in Middle Georgia, spring is just around the corner. Even though the highs over the last couple of days have been in the 50s (that's cold for us!), you can see signs of spring all around the neighborhood. Even in my own yard, there are a few flowers that started blooming in February. Those late-winter/early-spring blooms fill me with hope! Here are a couple currently in bloom:

Vinca major aka periwinkle

Gelsemium sempervirens aka Carolina jessamine

Of course, many of my plants are still dormant. My husband told me the other day that my hydrangea looked dead. I reassured him (and myself) that it was normal. The hostas look non-existent. As soon as spring comes, though, they will both burst forth with new leaves.

I can't wait to start planting. We have a very narrow window where the temperatures are right for planting. Too early, and they could accidentally be killed in a late frost. Too late, and they will simply wither away in the heat and humidity of our summers. I planted several things last fall with the hopes they would have plenty of time to get established, but there were several plants that simply weren't available at the garden centers in the fall. 

There are a few things you can plant in March: bareroot hardy perennials (not usually available at garden centers, but you can order these online), roses, shrubs, and trees. If you like vegetables, this is a good time to plant asparagus, lettuce, cabbage, onions, radishes, turnips, and carrots. Look at your seed packets for exact dates. They are based on your "last frost date" (the latest date a frost is expected to occur, on average). Here on the border between zone 7 and 8, our last frost date is April 9. Here's what not to plant right now: most of what you see at Lowe's & Home Depot. I saw tomato seedlings for sale last month! They must have thought they were in Florida.

Whether or not you are planting this month, it's a great month to prepare new flower beds. I did this last fall on one of my beds. I have a lot of compacted soil. Whether or not your soil is compacted like mine, most soil can be improved by some compost or other organic matter (such as aged manure). I sort of did a lazy version of "double digging". My husband and I broke up the soil real well to a depth of about 6 inches, pulled out rocks we came across,  and then hand-tilled (mixed) in some store-bought compost. Here's an action shot of my husband at work:

I recently talked about the benefits of soil preparation in a comment on another blog, Your Easy Garden, and  won some rose bushes for my tip! I can't wait to try out my new Flower Carpet roses. The bad news: I guess I need to prep some more beds for planting. What flowers are you enjoying in your garden this month?