This planter has a variety of early spring bloomers ranging from yellow wall flowers to fuchsia aubretia.

I'm writing this at the end of the first week in April. By the time it sees print, I hope spring is here ... and here to stay! Already we are seeing many good signs such as blooming forsythias, pussy willows and several types of spring bulbs.

Some of these "tell" us what needs to be done. When the forsythias bloom, for example, it means it is time to prune the rose bushes. Take off anything that looks dead or is just plain growing in the wrong direction. The mulch can also be pulled away and discarded now.

If you need to move a rose bush, now is a good time to do that too. Dig a deep hole, work in some amendments and plant the bush, being sure to keep the bud union 2 to 3 inches below the soil level. If planted too shallow, the bud union can freeze and you will end up with a dead rose bush.

There are truly hardy roses available. These are grown on their own roots, with no bud union. To see a nice selection of these, visit the Rosarium, located just south of Spokane.

Remember the old adage: Plants that bloom in spring, should be moved in fall and vice versa. If you must move a spring blooming perennial at this time of year, do it as soon as possible. It may not bloom this spring, but will next year once it has acclimated to its new home.

If you want to grow blueberries, hurry, as they should be planted before they leaf out. Blueberries need morning sun and acidic soil. You will probably need to mix in some sulfur. Most of the soil in our area is neutral to slightly alkaline. There are other plants which need alkaline soil and will need to be adjusted by adding lime.

Before attempting to raise or lower your soil's pH, it is a good idea to first conduct a soil test to determine your current oil pH. Contact your local county Extension office for advice on collecting and sending a soil sample to a laboratory for analysis.

Nurseries are carrying a bigger and bigger selection of hardy grasses each year. These range in size from very small to very tall. Pampas grass is not hardy here, but you can get a similar look with varieties of Miscanthus. These need to have the old dead blades cut to the ground now, before the new growth develops. Don't cut the short grasses, these just need to be "combed out." A small child's rake works great for this task. Be sure to avoid Japanese ribbon grass, as it is very invasive.

Once again, it's time to hang out those hummingbird feeders. After their long flight from their winter homes in central America, they will be very hungry.

I'm sure you've heard how we recently broke the rainfall record for the month of March. The previous record stood for nearly 100 years, so if someone tells you they wish it would rain because "we need the moisture," go ahead and thump them on the head!!

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.