Spring is in full swing and the Valley is greening up quite nicely.  It’s becoming easier to tell what needs to be done in the garden because it all starts staring us in the face.  The weeds are sprouting up like there’s no tomorrow, and many flowers and vegetables are demanding attention.  So it’s time to weed and feed!  

The spring flowers, such as daffodils and tulips, are beginning to die down.  You can cut off the dead blossoms, but be sure not to cut the leaves until they have turned yellow.  This will allow the plant to collect sunshine and nutrients for next year’s blossoms.  As your perennials start to come up, be sure to divide up the clumps and re-plant or share some with a friend.  Also, if you want to add any new plants to your garden, now is a great time to visit a nursery (such as Valley Garden Center in Gardnerville or Greenhouse Garden Center in Carson City) while the picking is prime.

For your vegetable garden, it might be time to start thinning your winter crops (such as carrots and lettuce) depending on how big they are.  Keep earthing-up your potatoes us they grow taller.  You can also start hardening off your summer plants (tomatoes, peppers, etc) to prepare them for planting.  If you decide to plant them this month, just be prepared to cover them on cold nights.  This area historically has late freezes, and some say to wait until Carson Valley Days to plant your tomatoes (2nd weekend in June).  Sometimes the excitement of Spring takes over and we just can’t wait that long!