Love Spring? You Can Grow That!

Love Spring? You Can Grow That!

On the 4th of every month garden bloggers post four words of advice: You Can Grow That!

This month, in advance of Valentine’s Day, many are writing about growing love and romance. From roses to vines that twine together, love has long been associated with flowers and plants. But the use of flowers and growing things to express affection doesn’t have to be confined to the passion felt for another person. At this time of year we can celebrate our ardor for the spring season, as well as an affection for ourselves. In other words, our spirits need lifting as winter dies down, and we can use all the reminders of renewal that are available. So a photo of a spring garden is in order.

Fortunately there are pots of spring blooming plants available throughout the end of the winter. Blue, pink and white hyacinths, multi-colored primroses, and bright yellow ‘Tête-à-Tête’ daffodils bring such pleasure and cheer! We also have pots of tulips, ready to bloom, so if you didn’t plant bulbs in the fall, there are ways you can have them now. You can also have them indoors in February, and put those bulbs in the garden later in March.

If you want to plant these plants outside later in the springtime, it’s easiest to keep them alive after they finish blooming if you transplant them into a slightly larger container. Use some new potting soil and a pot that’s an inch or more bigger in all directions. You can clip off the old flowering stems when you repot, and after a week or two give the plant a mild dose of fertilizer. Water the soil thoroughly when it’s dry but then wait until it’s no longer damp before watering again. Most spring-flowering plants can be planted outdoors early in the season when the nighttime temperatures are no longer going below freezing and the other plants outdoors are breaking dormancy.

It doesn’t matter whether you choose to save your pre-spring “pick me up plants” or toss them into the compost. If you’re tired of the dormant season give yourself a Valentine this year: if you love spring, you can grow that!

Hyacinths are available in our greenhouse from mid-winter on.

1 Comment

  1. Elaine Johnson on February 5, 2013 at 7:58 am

    Loved seeing this in the APLD Daily. Really getting the word out there!

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