GET A JUMP ON SPRING GARDENING

No matter what the weather has been like, I know that spring is just around the corner. I very seldom make such a rash statement, but I have good evidence to suggest that it is so.

About two weeks ago I was sitting in an easy chair no more than two feet away from a glass door in front of our house. I was in that state of mind halfway between being awake and really asleep. Suddenly I heard a tapping sound. I wondered what my wife Marilyn was using a hammer for.

When I opened my eyes to investigate, I was startled by a large, wild Tom turkey pecking on the glass in the door. Had the glass not been there, I could have reached out and grabbed him by the neck. He was totally oblivious of me.

Behind this pecking Tom were two other male turkeys watching what he was doing. I don't think that they wanted to get in his way. All of a sudden Tom decided to strut his stuff. He fanned out his tail feathers, stuck out his chest and proceeded to march in circles.

I think that Tom was telling all of the boys in the neighborhood, even the image of the one he saw in our sliding glass door, that he was the king of the forest. If any Tammies came around, they were his possession. No one was to get in his way.

Now I know of only two things that will get the juices flowing and elevate the hormonal level in old Tom the coming of spring and Tammy turkey. Since no Tammy was in sight, I can only assume that spring will be here very shortly.

Since spring is just right around the corner, there are a lot of things for a gardener to be doing. Because we have had so many inquiries about spring activities, I thought I would list a few of them as reminders.

* If you want to get some color in your landscape early in the season, plant pansies. They can take a lot of frost and can even take cold, freezing weather. So put in some color right now and eliminate some of that cabin fever.

* If you have any ornamental grasses or liriope in your landscape, cut them down to the ground now. If you fail to do this, the new growth will emerge among the old brown leaves and your handsome clump will look anemic. The easiest way to do this is to tie the leaves into a sheaf, then use a sickle or pruning saw and cut the grasses to the ground level.

* If you have fruit trees, now is the time to apply dormant oil and lime sulfur. Do the dormant oil now. Wait two weeks and apply lime sulfur. These dormant applications will clean up overwintering insect problems and aid in reducing disease problems. An application of fertilizer for fruiting trees, such as a 19-10-5 with micronutrients, will help you produce a bumper crop this season.

* If you have shrubs that are susceptible to scale, such as euonymus, mugo pine or tulip poplar, make a dormant application of oil at this time. The oil will form a coating over the scale and suffocate the insects.

* Now is the time to make crabgrass pre-emergent applications. Use a pre-emergent that will last from 90 to 120 days. Then remember to make a follow-up application in six to eight weeks.

* If you have a lot of chickweed, henbet or wild garlic in your lawn, make an application of trimec on a warm, calm day. You can eliminate these problems usually in just one spraying.

* If you are a vegetable gardener, get lettuce, spinach, radish and pea seed in the ground as soon as possible. You can even set out cole crops. I know several people who are now planting potatoes. Hold off on tomatoes, peppers, beans, corn and curcubits. Remember to water in your newly planted vegetable plants with a high phosphorous fertilizer, such as a 9-59-8, which enhances good root development.

* Fertilize existing trees and shrubs now and this fall with a 19-8-10. This boost will enhance development of larger, greener leaves and aid in good shoot growth.

* If you want to add to your landscape, now is the time to plant trees and shrubs. Remember to amend the soil with peat moss and use a good root stimulator such as 4-10-3 after planting.

* If you need to seed your lawn this spring, do it as soon as possible. When seeding, apply a new lawn starter fertilizer, such as 9-13-7, which will enhance good root development and get your new grass plants off to a good start.

* Feed fall bulbs such as tulips, hyacinths, daffodils and crocus with Dutch bulb food or bone meal. The nutrients provided will strengthen bulbs formed after blooming.

The blessing of spring is just around the corner. Now is the time to get started with spring gardening.

Send your gardening questions to Paul via e-mail to news@semissourian.com or write him c/o Southeast Missourian, P.O. Box 699, Cape Girardeau, Mo. 63702-0699.