Despite the cold temperatures, I believe that spring is at hand. The forsythia has since bloomed and now would be the time to do any pruning that it may need. I hope that you have already finished pruning your roses and started your spray program.
The daffodils, tulips, verbena, grape hyacinths, may night salvia, azaleas, dogwoods, and spirea are now in bloom and looking gorgeous. It is a treat to see everyone’s yard as I ramble about town. If you have not shopped for or ordered your summer bulbs, better get busy before the best ones are gone. Go ahead and get them bought now and put them in a cool place till time to plant. I would not be in too big a hurry to plant, because the threat of a frost or even a freeze is still at hand. Grandma used to say that you could plant your summer bulbs when the ground was warm enough to sit on when you went fishing. The old timers also say that thunder in February means frost in April. We did in fact have thunder on the 24th day of February, so they say we have a chance of frost on the 24th day of April. I’m keeping track cause that was a new one on me this year.
I would say that the old adage of planting your vegetables on or after Good Friday this year might just be a good bet. Some vegetables should have already been planted. They would be cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, asparagus, lettuce, and greens. Just keep an eye on the weather and be prepared to cover them in case of a frost or freeze.
Tender plants such as hydrangeas will need to be covered in case of a frost or freeze also. A frost or freeze will not kill your rose bushes, but it might stunt them a bit. If you have only a few you might consider covering them if the weather is threating, otherwise just keep a watch on them. If they start to turn brown, just prune them back a little and they will make a comeback. Roses are very hardy plants.
It is still not too late to use pre-emerge on your lawn to kill summer weeds. Be sure and read the label and make sure that you use the correct one for your type of grass and be careful not to use on a windy day because it could drift into your flower beds and damage your flowers and shrubs. The weed and feed combination products are not a favorite of mine. After all you are trying to kill the weeds, not fertilize them. You do not want to fertilize your lawn until it begins to green up.
If you have noticed those dreaded fire ant mounds popping up, it’s time to start treating them. I recommend to first use a broadcast bait to treat the entire lawn and then treat the mounds a couple of days later.
As with all fungicides, herbicides, and insecticides, please read and follow directions carefully. More is not better. You should always wear protective clothing and a respirator when spraying and keep children and pets out of the spray area for 24 hours as a precaution. Clean spray equipment and wash your clothes by themselves.
I noticed my first hummingbird today and it dawned on me to fill up the feeders. We quickly boiled some sugar water and set it aside to cool. I didn’t want the little one to do without, so I rushed into town to Fred’s and got some mix to put out for him until the good stuff that Ms. Janet makes got cool enough to put out there. MS. Janet’s recipe is 6 cups of water and 3 cups of sugar brought to a boil and then cool. The hummingbirds love it and we usually have lots of them over the summer.
If you have any questions please send me an email at colorsbytim@hotmail.com or leave me a message at the Union County Extension Office at 662-534-1916.
Happy Gardening and keep digging in the dirt.
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