It felt great to turn the calendar over to April though I'm not sure I'm so tickled with it being April Fool's Day. The practical jokers will be having their usual field day so don't be gullible like me. I usually fall victim at least once.

Lots of folks will be receiving gift plants about now, especially Easter lilies. Be careful if you purchase a plant as so many of them are tropical. Sadly, most store clerks aren't trained to properly protect them as they leave the checkout stand. Easter lilies are pretty hardy, but some others are not.

Too often we see tender plants such as orchids being carried out the door in below freezing weather with nothing over them. Always ask for at least a couple of bags to put over the tops of these. Then whisk them directly home. Sitting in a cold car while you finish your errands will spell doom for them.

Speaking of orchids, the Spokane Orchid Society is having its 25th anniversary show and sale today from 10 am to 3 p.m. at the Southside Senior Center located at 3151 E. 27th, (corner of 27th and Ray) Admission is $2.00, under 16 free.

Not all orchids need a greenhouse in order to survive. Some, like the phalaenopsis, (nicknamed the moth orchid) will do fine in a bright east window. They are usually planted in bark chips, not potting soil, as they need fast drainage. Nothing will kill them quicker than too much water. Resist the urge to give them a daily drink. Once a week is usually sufficient. The best part is that they will hold their blooms for four months.

As for the Easter lilies, these can be kept for years with little effort as they are hardy for our area. Just keep them in a warm brightly lit place in your home with weekly watering until they can safely be planted outdoors about the middle of May. When the blossoms are finished, cut that flower stalk off, being careful to keep all the green leaves on the plant. Feed with a standard fertilizer every couple of weeks. Once outdoors, they will come up and bloom for years if planted in a well drained spot that has morning sun and an occasional dose of fertilizer. One thing to remember is that they will revert to their normal bloom time - summer. They were "forced" to bloom early by the original growers in order to be sold for Easter...

All of us are anxious for a nice green lawn but we need a bit of patience. If you fertilize that lawn now, you are just wasting it and your money. The grass cannot use that food until it has broken dormancy and it doesn't do that until the ground begins to warm up. Wait until the end of this month.

Dahlia tubers need to be started in the house about now. Bury each tuber (horizontally) into damp potting soil and place in a sunny window. Dahlias can go into the ground outdoors by mid to late April, depending on the weather.

Here is No. 2 from the list of "The Ten Commandments of Gardening:" Thou shalt honor thy mum and thy poppy.

Elaine Cerny has gardened most of her life, starting in 4-H. Since then, she has always kept a garden of some sort, growing everything from fruits and vegetables to flowers and house plants. She has belonged to garden clubs in three states and is an active member of the River City Gardeners Club in Post Falls.