In every month, yet in aught begun,
Read over that month, what avails to be done;
So neither this travail shall seem to be lost,
Nor thou to repent of this trifling cost.
• As soon as frost is out of the ground, grass seed can be sown.
• A top dressing of manure will help the daffodils.
• Avoid the spring rush by having your mower blades sharpened now.
• Begin potting up new seedlings.
• Be sure to complete new rose selection, and send in your order as soon as possible.
• Check out one of the great flower shows this month in Boston, New York or Philadelphia.
• Check the potting shed to be sure you have enough labels, raffia, string, fertilizer, insecticide etc., for the upcoming growing season.
• Cherries, Plums and Peaches can be pruned now.
• Cut and bring indoors some branches of quince for forcing.
• Cuttings can be taken from Begonias as the plants begin to grow.
• Cyclamens, Poinsettias and Christmas Cherries can be put in the cellar to rest.
• Don't be too hasty in removing winter protection from evergreens and Boxwood.
• Don't let a warmish sunny day tempt you into removing winter mulch too early.
• Finish spraying dormant oil.
• Firm in small shrubbery if an early thaw comes.
• Fuchsias can be brought up from the cellar and placed in a plant window.
• Gently remove winter mulch from bulb beds.
• Hardwood ashes can go on Grapes, Iris and Delphiniums.
• If ordering perennials, and you haven't done so already, send in your order now.
• Keep all bird feeding stations well stocked.
• Leaf cuttings can be taken of your house plant, Sansevieria.
• Look over rose arbors to make sure that they are sound and sturdy.
• Make sure plants in coldframe are moist.
• Many of your house plants can be repotted this month.
• New gardeners, or if you are gardening in a new location, should first have a soil sample taken to determine fertility.
• Order strawberry plants for spring planting.
• Perennial beds can be top-dressed with a commercial fertilizer such as 4-8-6 or 4-8-8.
• Plant sweet peas and edible peas now.
• Prune shade trees.
• Rake up drifted leaves from around the house or outbuilding foundation.
• Remember to give Marigolds a pinch of super phosphate per plant.
• Roll and rake lawn areas now if needed.
• Start hotbeds now and sow seeds of tender and half-hardy plants in them.
• Sow seeds of snapdragons, verbena and petunias indoors.
• To circumvent the borers, burn over your Iris this month.
• Tuberous Begonias and Caladiums can be started indoors now.
• Wait for the buds to break on roses before pruning.
• When Delphiniums appear above ground, water them with a weak solution of lime sulphur.