Garden almanac

In the Garden this Week

In the garden this week, it looks like the trees and shrubs are coming to life with their swollen buds. The spring bulbs are coming up, and the ticks are coming out.

Now’s the time to get your lawn and garden off to a strong start for the season. Go ahead and put down your lawn fertilizer, but hold off on the weed-and-feed products or any pre-emergent treatments, it’s just a little too early for those yet.

If you’ve got some thin or dead patches, give those areas a good raking and toss down some grass seed. A fescue mix works especially well in dry spots and can help fill things in nicely. And don’t be too quick to judge clover popping up in your yard, it’s actually doing you a favor by adding nitrogen to the soil and staying green even during the hot summer months.

A small pennycress weed blooming with white flowers
PENNYCRESS
A henbit annual weed with its purple flowers
HENBIT

You may also be noticing a few weeds already making their appearance. Pennycress (also known as stinkweed) and henbit, with its small purple flowers, are common this time of year. These are winter annuals, meaning they got their start last fall and are now gearing up to flower. The best thing you can do right now is pull them or mow them down before they go to seed. If they tend to take over your lawn, plan on applying a fall pre-emergent later in the year to keep them in check. Treat now with a broad-spectrum herbicide when it’s little. When they are larger, herbicides are less effective.

Creeping Charlie weed with its purple flowers
Creeping Charlie

Another one to watch for is creeping Charlie, a perennial with purple blooms, you’ll likely need to spot-treat that one with an herbicide.

An apple branch with its emerging pink blossoms
Tight Bud Stage in Apples

If fruit trees are part of your yard, and if you have had issues like apple scab or rust in the past. An all-purpose orchard spray can help, and timing matters, the first application should go on when the blossoms begin to show color but haven’t opened yet. Be sure to follow label directions carefully.

Young cabbage transplants moved to larger containers
Cabbage Transplants in Larger Pots

For those getting the gardening itch indoors. Now’s a great time to start most flower and vegetable plants from seed. As the tiny plants germinate and grow, transplant each to a larger container. Just hold off on vine crops like cucumbers until the end of April. They prefer a little more warmth to really get going.

You can prune dead or damaged branches from trees and shrubs now. But for spring-flowering shrubs (like lilacs), wait until after they bloom, or you’ll cut off this year’s flowers.

Garden hacks

Starting Garden Seeds Indoors

Starting garden seeds indoors is a great way to get a jump on the growing season, especially when it’s still cold outside. It’s also one of the most satisfying parts of gardening. There’s something special about watching those first tiny green sprouts push through the soil, knowing you grew them from scratch. Starting indoors gives your plants extra time to grow strong so they’re ready to thrive once it warms up.

The seed packet will tell you how many weeks to start before transplanting outside. I use May 10 as the last frost date, but you know that can change depending on the year.

The first thing you’ll need is a container and some seed starting mix. You don’t need anything fancy; seed trays, small pots, or even clean yogurt cups work fine as long as they have drainage holes. Fill the containers with seed starting mix, which is lighter than regular soil and helps roots grow easily. Lightly moisten the soil before planting so it feels damp, not soaking wet.

A close-up, eye-level shot shows a black plastic seed starter tray covered by a clear, ribbed plastic humidity dome. Inside the tray, dark potting soil is visible with several small, thin green sprouts just beginning to emerge.

Next, plant your seeds following the depth instructions on the packet. Bigger seeds go a little deeper, while tiny seeds can just be pressed gently into the surface. After planting, water carefully so you don’t disturb them. Some people like to cover the containers with plastic wrap or a clear lid to help keep moisture in, and that can speed up germination. I use a plastic heat mat to promote germination.

A close-up view of a seed-starting tray under a grow light, containing multiple small compartments filled with soil and young seedlings. Each compartment has a white plant label with handwritten names such as "Pepper Tequila," "Arugula," "Strawberry," "Bee Balm," "Yummy Basil," "Dill," and "Stock." The seedlings are at various stages of growth, with some just sprouting and others having small green leaves.

Once the seedlings pop up, they’ll need plenty of light. A bright window can work, but grow lights help prevent seedlings from getting tall and weak. Keep the light close to the plants and check the soil regularly. Seedlings don’t like to dry out, but they also don’t want to sit in soggy soil, so aim for evenly moist.

As my plants grow, they may need to be moved into larger containers, so their roots have room to expand. This is called transplanting, and it helps keep them healthy and grow strong. It’s a simple step that makes a big difference later. Transplant before they get too big and their roots intertwine.

Starting seeds indoors doesn’t require expensive equipment, just a little time, attention, and patience. It’s a great way to connect with the growing season early, and by the time spring arrives, you’ll already have strong, healthy plants ready for your garden.

Farm Animals

An Unofficial Barn Pet

I have what you might call an unofficial barn pet. Not a dog. Not another cat. A skunk.

He showed up one fall evening and, instead of acting like normal wildlife with a healthy fear of everything, he strolled into the barn like he had been invited. The barn cats, who normally lose their minds over a leaf blowing across the yard, just sat there watching him with deep suspicion.

The skunk ignored them completely and went straight to the feed area. Apparently, occasional cat food nuggets had been funding his nightly visits. He waddled around like a tiny striped inspector, sniffing everything, while the cats followed him in a cautious parade a few feet behind.

The strange part was how quickly everyone got used to this arrangement.

After a few days, the cats stopped following him and simply made room. He would come in, do his slow tour of the barn, snack a little, and leave. No drama. No spraying. Just business.

One night I walked in and found the skunk eating from the same bowl as one of the cats. The cats were eating along with the skunk.  I stood there trying to decide if I should intervene or just accept that the barn had its own wildlife policy now.

The skunk eventually got bold enough to wander around while I was in the barn. He’d look at me, I’d look at him, and we both seemed to agree that as long as nobody made any sudden moves, we could coexist.

The cats, however, treated him like a slightly embarrassing relative. They wouldn’t sit too close, but they also wouldn’t leave. If he wandered past, they would casually pretend they had something very important to lick on their paws.

He became such a regular visitor that I started checking for him before walking into the barn at night. Not out of fear, but out of courtesy. You don’t just barge in on a skunk who clearly thinks he lives there.

I had several barn cats and one striped honorary member of the crew. And somehow, the skunk was the calmest one of all.

A skunk sleeping in straw in a barn.