by Jack McKinnon

Spring is here and it is time to plant. The soil is warming up, the heavy rains are past and the days are getting longer. This is a great time to start a compost bin and worm farm. Buy a cubic yard of mulch and get planting. Here are the tips.

1. Plant tomatoes. There are so many new varieties, including exotic hybrids; you have plenty to choose from.

2. Plant beets, chard, pole beans, bush beans, carrots, lettuce, radishes, spinach, squash and zucchini. Plant herbs; you will need them when cooking with all those fresh vegetables you will harvest.

3. Plant peppers, the wonder food of California. Lots of peppers make life interesting and worth living. If you don’t over-water the chilies, they will have a better flavor.

4. With azaleas, camellias and rhododendrons, remove the spent flowers — that’s called deadheading — and feed the plants when they are finished with their bloom. These are   all acid-loving plants and require fertilizer made specifically for them. Be sure to follow the directions on the package.

5. If you don’t already own a good garden encyclopedia, go buy one. I use the Sunset Western Garden Book and the American Horticultural Society Encyclopedia. I encourage you to support your local booksellers. They can order books for you. It doesn’t hurt to wait a week or so, and having a local bookstore is really a good thing.

6. Learn what plant zone you are in. Your encyclopedia can teach you; just look at the map in the front or back of the book. Knowing your zone will help you to select plants that can tolerate your climate.

7. Container plants have different requirements for food and water than those planted in the ground. Water more frequently and be careful with fertilization so you do not have salt buildup. Repot container plants that are getting out of control.

8. Flowers to plant this month are tuberous begonias, dahlias, calendulas, chrysanthemums, daylilies, hostas, impatiens, jasmine, marigolds and zinnias.

9. Imagine your garden from a worm’s-eye view. Look up at all those roots and compost and mulch and plants. Think how much nicer it would be if the person tending this garden would cultivate a little more, pull a few of those weeds and sprinkle a little fertilizer around.

These are the days we will remember. Let’s make them memorable for the gardens we grow, the relationships we nurture and the courage we have to thrive.

Good gardening!

Jack McKinnon is a garden coach and can be reached at jack@jackthe gardencoach.com, or call 650-455-0687. Visit his Web page at www.jackthegardencoach.com.