Lawn and landscape

        • Use a solid blast of water from the hose to wash off aphids feeding on tender new plant growth. Repeat every five days, three or four times.

        • Plant ground covers.

Fruit and vegetables

        • Make early plantings of sweet corn, plus additional plantings of beets, carrots, mustard, spinach, radishes and lettuce.
        • Reduce disease problems by rotating vegetable plants to a different area of the garden than last year.
        • Start muskmelon, watermelon and squash seeds indoors.
        • Plant vegetables in full sun. If you have less than six hours of sun, try to include beets, carrots, onions, turnips and greens such as kale, lettuce and Swiss chard.

Flowers

        • Remove winter mulch from around roses and prune them back to live wood.
        • Begin a regular fertilizer and spray program for roses.
        • Start tuberous begonias and caladiums indoors, for planting out into the garden later.
        • Look for “volunteer” seedlings of spider flowers (cleome), Johnny-jump-ups, and forget-me-nots. Thin the seedlings for best results and transplant the extras.
        • Pop flower and vegetable transplants out of the pack to inspect the roots. Select plants with roots that have filled the container but not outgrown it.

       Eco tip

        Control weeds before they flower and set seed to avoid future weed problems. It is easy to pull weeds now when the soil is moist from rain.

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

Ault Park adorned
Artists, floral designers join forces for show
2000 Cincinnati exhibit to be at Chelsea in May
Concert review
From the pages of Harry Potter
Gardening without chemicals
Plant a burst of summer color
Herb project satisfies all the senses
To do this week
Get to it