Springtime seems to finally be arriving with the first of our warm sunny days. It's a great time to get out in the garden and plant some spring color!

Start with pansies or violas. These hardy little plants will take some frost and bloom well into the summer until temperatures begin to get truly hot. Pansies and violas do well in beds, in pots or even hanging baskets. Available in a multitude of colors, these cheerful little plants practically shout "spring" with their happy faces.

Be careful where you plant them however, if you are using them in beds. Even though pansies and violas are not considered true perennials, because they don't come back from the same root stock, they do freely re-seed. Be sure to put them in an area where you won't mind a few more relatives if they come back next year!

If you are a perennial lover, the fragrant perennial violas are blooming and beautiful right now. Iberis (Candytuft) is especially pretty right now as well. Ours at Four Seasons are blooming with stark white blossoms. "Purity" is an especially nice variety for our area.

No matter what you plant out, a few new colors in your yard or in a patio pot, will help remind you that winter is truly, thankfully, a thing of the past!

It's one of my pet peeves. Many times people will come into the garden center and say that they are going to plant their cole crops, then ask for peas. While I understand that some people use the terms interchangeably, it isn't exactly correct. And since it's the time of the year to plant both, here's the definition in a nutshell.

The term "cole" crops are technically those plants that belong to the Cruciferae or mustard family. This includes plants such as kale, cauliflower, collards, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, turnips, and others. All of these vegetables can trace their origins back to a common ancestry of wild cabbage. Many of these vegetables are super powerhouses of nutrition. In fact, Brussels sprouts, collards, and kale contain more protein than milk does.

The term "cold" in reference to plants, refers to temperatures and those plants that can withstand cold nighttime and cool daytime temperatures. In fact, they not only tolerate them, but some plants thrive in them. Plants such as lettuce, radishes, peas, carrots, potatoes, and onions are cold crops. There are many more cold crops than cole crops. And these vegetables are not only good to plant in the spring, but will return an abundant crop in the cooler fall temperatures as well.

Depending on the weather, the amount of sunshine, and the temperatures, some of the cold and cole crops that are planted now, could be harvested as early as late-April to early May. What better way to truly catch spring fever than with vegetables harvested fresh from the garden?

The geese are in the backyard, I saw a robin today, and the crocus at Four Seasons in the front flowerbed are beginning to bloom. Spring can't be far away, despite the abundance of snow still on the ground! Maybe it froze along the way somewhere?

In any case, the pansies and violas in the garden center are beginning to bloom and you can tell that the days are lengthening. If you're anxious to begin your spring and summer gardening plans, start by attending a class or reading up on some of the new varieties. It's been a long time since I've seen people so excited about gardening- especially with vegetables. I think the high cost of groceries has driven even the most die hard non-gardener to reconsider this spring. I know that I'm feeding a teenager and my grocery bills are through the roof. My family had better like squash this summer!

If you are a small space gardener, consider gardening vertically, rather than horizontally. Use the Topsy Turvy planters. Use containers. Use whatever space you have that can easily be turned into a spot for food production. You'd be amazed and surprised at the amount of fresh food that can be produced in a small area. Tomatoes can go in a planter. Peppers can go in a pot. Radishes and lettuce can go into window boxed. Take a lesson from the Europeans who have always been short on space, but long on thrifty ways to invent places to garden. Then try it for yourself this summer!

A friend sent me this link tonight and I want to share it with you. http://www.ezfromseed.org/easyseeds.php

It's a good place for the beginning gardener to go to get information about the easiest plants to grow from seed.

I saw the geese in our yard today which means that spring is indeed on it's way and it's time to begin thinking about starting your seeds. Visit us at the garden center and we'll be happy to choose the seeds that are right for your zone. We'll help you get started with planting instructions, seed starting supplies and our personal tips and tricks to help you be successful!

Today's helpful tip for those of you who are beginning to experience the joys of spring mud season! Try using bark from your local garden center to lay down in walkways, paths, and driveways to help minimize the effects of the mud and having it tracked into your home. Bark nuggets will keep the mud down, keep pets from coming in with muddy paws, and if used in the garden, can be left there as a top dress long after the snow has melted.

If you choose to use larger nuggets for applications like the driveway, you can rake them up and redistribute them to the flower beds later in the season.

Now that the snow is finally beginning to go away, it's time to think about spring in earnest. While January days are for dreaming, February days are for planning. I always feel sorry for the mailman around this time of year. The Christmas catalog shopping season is long past, the January doldrums and after Christmas catalog sales are over but it's time to haul all of those darn seed and plant catalogs to mailboxes across the country. If you've been innundated with seed and plant catalogs in the mail, and you aren't watching the Olympics at night, then you're probably dreaming of your garden and all of the new goodies available this year.

Before you get too excited, a word or two of caution about all of the colorful and glorious offerings in the catalogs. The first thing you want to do is check to make sure that the plant, seed, bulb, shrub, etc which you have chosen is appropriate for your area. What does that mean? It means, is it suitable to be planted and will grow in your zone? If you aren't familiar with zones, call your local garden center, or check the USDA web site and you'll be able to discover exactly which zone your home is in. While many of the catalogs offer a much wider variety of material than your local garden center, there is often a reason the material is not offered locally. A responsible garden center will only choose those plants, seeds, etc which are suitable for their area. They won't try to sell you things that don't thrive or even survive in the climate area which they serve. Although the offerings are abundant, many times they aren't going to live where you live. Unless you are an adventurous gardener and just want to try something for a challenge, you are probably wasting good money if you choose something that is not recommended for your zone.

The second thing to be mindful of is, does the company from which you are ordering have a good, solid reputation for both delivery and quality? Unfortunately, like a television evangelist, many of the mail order companies do not live up to their promises. I spend a good deal of time in May and June each year answering the e-mail at our garden center that is misdirected from a mail order company who has either not sent products which were ordered, or has sent dead material. Folks find us by doing a google search and we get the complaints, even though we are in no way associated with the mail order company. So take a minute and check before you order. You may save yourself a great deal of grief down the road. Happy planning!

Many areas of the country have been experiencing bad weather and a abundance of snow and ice. Although you may not think about it when you are out shoveling, your yard needs some special attention now too. Begin by taking a walk around your property. Remove the snow from tree limbs and shrubbery as soon as possible after storms. Not only will the snow and ice weigh them down, it can contribute to breakage and damage that can leave the plant misshapen. If you do happen to see some damage, prune it off now. Since the tree or shrub is dormant, it won't hurt it and could prevent further damage.

Another thing to be mindful of is what you are using to melt the snow and ice. While rock salt is a wonderful ice melter, it not only will break up concrete when used extensively, but the run off into flower beds and grassy areas will burn and can kill plant material. Instead, shovel walkways as far down as practical, then use sand, kitty litter, gravel or even my favorite- birdseed- to provide anti-skid material. Not only will you walk more securely, you will be providing much needed food for your feathered friends as well. Enjoy the winter wonderland, but be safe and take care of your yard too!