Hey ... we made it!

Bet you thought this winter would never end. Here’s the good news: the first day of spring is only a couple of weeks off. March 20 heralds the official first day of spring. At last!

We certainly got more than our share of snow this year with a total of more than 92 inches. Normal is 60.6. Then our area set new records for total February rainfall. The previous record was 6.49 inches, set way back in 1940.

A lot of us enjoy feeding the songbirds. Unfortunately, something very unusual happened last fall. Most of them disappeared from August to November. This included a huge area from Seattle stretching to central Montana. Not even the experts have figured out why. These were birds which normally stay here all winter. Some returned in November but I’m still seeing very few. Strange.

We know that we can’t actually do a whole lot in the yard, garden or flower beds, but there are other ways to “get in the groove.” Whether you’ve saved over some tuberous begonia bulbs, or bought new ones, these can be potted up toward the middle of the month. Press the side that bulges outward onto the top of a pot of fresh damp potting soil. Place in a sunny window or under plant lights.

If you want to start your tomato and pepper plants from seed, go ahead and get them going about mid-month. These take a long time to get much size to them. Growing from seed is the only way to grow many varieties as starter plants often can’t be found locally.

Your houseplants would appreciate being repotted now. Most of them have been semi dormant for a few months now, but the increased sunshine has told them its time to “wake up.” I cheated by keeping my blooming plants under plant lights all winter. This kept them in bloom.

You may see the stores offering blooming primroses about now. Remember, these are NOT houseplants. They’re actually hardy perennials and belong outdoors. If you can’t resist, go ahead and buy some, but it will take a bit of effort to keep them alive until the ground thaws and you can safely plant them outdoors. Just put them outside in the (hopefully) sunshine for several hours each day, once the thermometer rises above freezing. Be sure to bring them back inside by late afternoon, or whenever the temp drops again.

If you can resist the temptation, try to stay off the lawn and garden. As everything is sopping wet, walking will only compact the soil and that’s never a good thing. Be patient. You’ll be out there working like a slave before long and suddenly you may start thinking that some sitting and relaxing sounds pretty good.

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Elaine Cerny has gardened most of her life, starting in 4-H. She has belonged to garden clubs in three states and is currently serving as secretary for the River City Gardeners Club in Post Falls. Her column appears in The Press every other Sunday from early March until late October.