As the old song goes, "June is bustin' out all over !" It is too. Everything is growing like weeds ... especially the weeds!

For a few days there, in mid-May, it looked like we were in for an early summer. But just to be contrary, the weather turned back to cooler, much cooler. Then, the winds came.

Thankfully, most of the big pine trees stayed upright. At least I didn't hear about any falling. The forecasters were concerned because the winds were coming out of the northeast. Most of our winds come from the southwest and the trees have learned to adjust for that. They don't fare so well when they come from the opposite direction.

We were told for years that a tree's roots went as deep into the ground as the tree was tall. Wrong. Now we know better. If you ever see a toppled over Ponderosa pine, you'll note that the roots have mostly popped right out of the ground. They aren't deep. Instead they are shaped like a big pancake. Wet ground and a strong wind can do them in. One lone tree is more likely to fall as they fare better in groups.

Speaking of wind, I want to mention watering. Plants dry out quickly on a windy day, even a cool day. Hanging baskets suffer the most. Another thing to keep in mind is that once your containers have filled out they will not take in much, if any, water from rain or sprinklers. The plants act like an umbrella which sheds off the water. Keep your hose handy.

If your lilac bushes have outgrown their space or gotten too tall, it's time to give them a haircut. As soon as they finish blooming, get out the pruners. Don't wait until midsummer or you'll cut off next year's flower buds. The only safe time to cut them back is within a month after blooming. This applies to most spring blooming shrubs. Likewise with moving a perennial. Do spring bloomers in the fall and fall bloomers in the spring.

Chrysanthemums can get leggy. A good rule of thumb is to cut them back by about a third around Memorial Day and another third around the Fourth of July. This will give you nice sturdy mums when they bloom later on. I do this with tall asters too.

The peonies are full of buds and starting to bloom. Once again, they do NOT need ants on the buds in order for the flowers to open. That is an old wives' tale. The ants are after the honeydew which aphids secrete, nothing else.

Today's commandment goes like this, "Thou shalt dig in thy dirt, not dish thy dirt."

To prevent powdery mildew on your roses, columbine and other susceptible plants, be sure to spray them before it happens. That works much better than trying to "cure" the mildew once it starts. Put 4 teaspoons of baking soda and a gallon of water into a sprayer. Add 2 to 4 teaspoons of dish detergent or cooking oil as this helps the solution to "stick." Shake the mixture up well and spray all the leaves you can reach. Do this once a week in spring.

Dandelions are said to represent three celestial bodies: the sun (the flower), the moon (the puffball seedhead) and the stars (the seeds that blow into the air.) Funny, I've heard them called a lot of other things, but not these. In fact the ones I have heard, I can't repeat.

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.