Lawn and landscape

        • Finish winter pruning. Shape hedges.

        • Plant or transplant evergreen trees and shrubs.

        • Water newly planted trees and shrubs well. Even if the soil around the plants is moist, water may not have reached the roots.

        • Fertilize hollies and evergreens with 10-10-10 fertilizer.

Fruits and vegetables

       • Start seeds indoors for warm season crops such as peppers, tomatoes and eggplant. Wait until April to start melons and squash indoors.

        • Fertilize asparagus plants with 1/3 pound of ammonium nitrate per 100 square feet.

        • Plant cool-season crops such as spinach, mustard, beets, peas and potatoes directly in the garden.

        • Wait until strawberry plants have started new growth and new leaves are slightly yellow before removing mulch.

Flowers

       • Gradually remove and compost winter mulch to allow the soil to dry.

        • Dig and divide overgrown perennial flowers as soon as they show 1 to 2 inches of growth.

        • Fertilize all but newly set plants.

        • Provide Easter lilies with bright light and temperatures below 70 degrees.
Tip

       To reduce disease and insect problems in the vegetable garden, rotate crop families from one location to another. Plant cole crops (broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and relatives) in a different location than any of these crops were the previous year. Cucurbits (cucumber, squash and pumpkins), root crops (carrot, radish, beets, turnips) and solonaceous crops (potato, tomato and eggplant) should be rotated.

       Source: Sue Trusty, director of education at the Civic Garden Center of Greater Cincinnati, 221-0981.

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