Spring has sprung

With warm temperatures moving in, it won't be long until local gardeners are planting their flowers and vegetables.

While it will still be several weeks until the ground and overnight temperatures are warm enough for most plants, March is the perfect time to begin preparing for your spring garden.

Start by taking a walk around the garden - taking care not to walk directly on the soil and compact the dirt - and doing what you can to clean out any wet, whole leaves or leftover annuals from the fall, advises Eileen East, a Carbon County Master Gardener with the Penn State Extension Office.

"The soil is still frozen, and you need to expose more of the soil to help the sun warm the soil," she said.

East also uses these last weeks before spring to prune some plants and examine her landscape's terrain before the ground is covered with vegetation.

"This is a good time to check for water runoff," she said, noting that it's easier to see canals and erosion before plants and grass begin growing.

"This is a good time to see things and take care of them."

If your home does have excessive water runoff, a simple rain barrel or rain garden can help to fix the problem. A rain barrel sits directly under your home's down spouting, and either fans the water out in a less destructive manner or filters the water through a rain garden.

Rain gardens are typically a deeply dug hole lined with stone and other permeable materials to allow rain to soak into the water table.

Finally, look around your property for any potential sources of standing water, such as tires left outside.

It's important to remove these opportunities for standing water now, before mosquitoes have the opportunity to lay eggs.

Mosquito-born illnesses, including West Nile virus, are a growing problem in our area.

Gardening design

Warmer days are also the perfect time to daydream about what plants you might include in this year's garden.

Do you want a bumper crop of tomatoes and enough vegetables to share, or dozens of flowers to beautify the neighborhood?

Spring workshops offered by the Carbon County Master Gardeners will focus on growing edible plants. With the cost of fresh foods rising, it makes more sense than ever to utilize at least some garden space for fruits, vegetables and herbs.

As you plan the garden itself, look for the best use of space and compatible plantings. You'll need to consider where the sun will hit your garden each day, and how summertime plant height will impact sun exposure later in the year.

If you'll be adding raised beds this year, think outside of the raised bed "box."

"Don't see it as just a way to get the plants higher," said East. "Why not, when you're building a raised garden, turn it into cold frames and have them do more for you? You can extend the growing season."

She encourages gardeners to consider adding removable frames with window glass or lighter acrylic, or a low-tunnel hoop house, to the top of raised beds.

"Some of the plants that you start in cold frames, you're going to keep there. Others will be transplanted," she said. "In the fall, instead of bringing your plants inside, you can plant them right in the cold frame."

By adding a mesh top once warm weather arrives to stay, you can also keep out deer and other animals that might find the food too tempting to resist.

Time to start seeds

If you'll be growing plants from seed this year, now is a good time to get started.

"You save a huge amount of money. You can buy a pack of seeds for $2, or two flats of annuals for $30," said East. "The most crucial thing about starting seeds is to have enough light."

East's office is filled with seedlings and cuttings, ranging from parsley to butterfly weed.

And while lighting is important, it's OK to get creative rather than purchase an expensive growing kit. East uses an assortment of desk lamps and shop lights fitted with fluorescent bulbs and LEDs that give off a full-spectrum light.

Most seed companies sell watering systems that allow you to warm seeds as they germinate, then retain moisture once seedlings emerge.

East has several of these systems and enjoys the ease of watering that they provide - but noted that it's also fine for beginners to start with plain pots or even egg cartons as they experiment and become comfortable with the process.

SIDEBAR

Carbon County Master Gardener workshops

The Carbon County Master Gardeners will offer a full-day spring planting workshop on Saturday, March 26. To be added to the workshop's waiting list, or to learn more about future programs and express interest in specific topics, contact the Penn State Extension Office at (570) 325-2788 or carbonext@psu.edu. The Master Gardener program will use feedback from those who contact them to develop further programs.