Here we are, past the mid-point in March. Looks like we'll soon be seeing winter in the rear view mirror! We sure lucked out with such a mild one this time. The first day of spring is only two days away......March 20.

Some of you may have received a shamrock, (oxalis) plant for St. Patrick's day. These are fun to grow with their 3-leafed-clover foliage and small but tall flowers. Some have burgundy foliage instead of the usual green. The flowers are usually either pink or white. These plants may go dormant in the summer, but will be back in fall if kept dry. They aren't hardy here, so keep them in pots.

We used to always start our seeds indoors using sterilized mix. This has become nearly impossible to find as the makers have decided that the heating process is too expensive. Seed starting mix works almost as well and is easy to find.

If you haven't started your tomato seeds, be sure to do it right away as these plants take a while to grow to a nice big size. Remember to grow them cool and bright so they will be stocky, not gangly.

It's time to get out your clippers and cut down those tall perennial stalks. Any with seed heads that were saved to feed the birds have probably been stripped by now. The experts say we can take the mulch off soon.

The tricky part is to get to the plants without tromping across the lawn. Some lawns are still frozen while others are wet and soggy. We need to avoid walking over those that have thawed as it compacts the soil which is bad for the lawn. You may want to put down some stepping stones.

To keep annual weed seeds from sprouting, sprinkle the area with a pre-emergent, such as Preen. Only do this if you don't plan to let reseeding annual flowers come up in that spot. The darn stuff can't tell the difference between a weed and a flower.

Bare root perennials will be available in stores soon. These will make good plants, but only if you take good care of them now. Don't keep them in a nice warm and light spot. This will just encourage them to sprout. You don't want that. They need to be kept dormant until they can be planted outdoors. That will be in mid to late April, sometimes as late as early May, depending on the weather.

If, despite your best efforts, your plant starts to sprout, don't despair. Plant it into a good sized pot with some potting soil, water and keep in a sunny window. They can be moved outdoors during the days and back inside at night.

Lily bulbs require the same treatment. As these never go completely dormant, look them over closely before buying. If they're shriveling up or have moldy spots, leave them on the shelf.

I recently found a cute list of Commandments for Gardeners. The first one goes like this: "Thou shalt not covet they neighbor's roses."

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. Her column appears in the Press every other Sunday from early May until late October.