by Shane Richards, Stake Gardening -/ Production Specialist

This time of year is almost like Christmas! The anticipation for spring is almost unbearable. I
look forward to green grass, fragrant flowers, and to see gardens grow.

If you are adventurous and have the supplies, you can start some cool weather seeds in a green
house or in your home. Once the soil temperatures hit 35 degrees they start to grow. A lot of these
fruits and veggies taste better when harvested in the cool spring and start to become bitter when
the temperature rises. A lot of leafy greens like Broccoli, Kale, and lettuce fall under this
category. They can be planted outside as early as April. Remember that a lot of crops are summer
plants and should not be planted until a week or two after Mother’s Day so only the cool season
ones for now.

Now is the perfect time for fruit tree pruning. For peach and apricot trees cut away. If you make a
mistake with a peach tree it is very forgiving. For apple trees remember that less is more. Prune
about 10% to 15% of the branches and you won’t get a lot of water sprouts the following year.
People often ask what should stay and what should go. You can keep it simple, if you don’t like it
cut it off, if you do like it keep it there, if you are unsure wait until next year.

Good luck with gardens and yards this year!