A Breath of Spring Hits Perry Hall Gardens

With a little snow still on the ground and warmer temperatures, we are being teased that spring is just around the corner. My daffodils have even popped their heads 3 inches above the ground. They are, just like me, ready to get out and make a show in my flower beds.

While taking advantage of the warmer temperatures, below is a list of some things you can do now for your garden just before spring arrives.

1. Walk around your garden and look for winter damage caused by the ice and snow. Prune broken branches and stake shrubbery upright if it was pulled over by the weight of ice or gusts of wind.

2. Carefully rake the leaves and debris that found its way into your garden during the winter.

3. Re-plant any spring bulbs or pansies that became unearthed due to animals or the ground freezing and thawing.

4.Cut off the dead stalks and tops of your perennials from last year. If you can see signs of spring growth at the root base then there is a good chance it will bear flowers again this year. Do not pull anything up now, give it time to show signs of growth.

5. Organize and do general clean-up in your yard so that the garden becomes the focal point, not the junk that needs to be taken to the dump.

6. Make plans to construct a simple fence around your vegetable garden so this year you get to eat the beans before the animals do.

7. Go online and order some gardening catalogs. Then go to the , check out gardening books, look over last year's photos and plan your garden. Old favorites are great, but this year plant something new. This is a great activity to keep your mind focused on spring in case we have another snowfall!

8. Take inventory of your gardening tools. Clean and sharpen them if necessary. Treat yourself to a new tool or a pair of gloves. Go over your lawn mower to make sure it is ready for the spring.

9. Cut a few branches of forsythia and bring them in from the cold, place them in a vase you'll be surprised, spring will blossom before your eyes.

10. Last of all, resist temptation, do not plant any annuals until after the last frost date; for Perry Hall, according to the Farmer's Almanac, it is April 11. With Easter on April 24, our gardens will be in full bloom.

A Perry Hall resident for the past 45 years, Donna Davis is an avid gardener and self-taught expert on a variety of planting methods. She is also the mother of Emily Kimball, Perry Hall Patch editor.