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The atmospheric river is bound to dry up sometime, but until then, all we can do is wait, keep up with the chores and enjoy some inspiration from the Bulb Guy.
- When the rains have stopped, aerate your lawn and top dress with compost. If you’re having trouble with raccoons digging up the grass, now is the time to introduce beneficial nematodes onto your lawn.
- Plant potato tubers and citrus by the end of the month. Try growing potatoes in large pots. Start with just enough soil to cover the tubers, then when they start producing leaves, add more soil to cover the leaves. Continue doing this until the pot is full. Later, you’ll have a bucket load of potatoes to harvest.
- Plant herbs — most require full sun and well-drained soil.
- The moment it starts warming up, we get itching to start a summer garden. Be patient. Don’t plant until the soil temperature is at least 60 degrees. Planting earlier doesn’t give you a head start on the season, but it does increases the risk to your tender seedlings.
- Divide your fall blooming perennials, and start summer vegetables and flower seeds.
- Prune azaleas and camellias that have finished blooming. Fertilize with coffee grounds, which are a good source of nitrogen and helps to lower the soil pH.
- Plant summer blooming bulbs: Canna, calla lilies, caladium, dahlia, gladiolus, lilies, nerine, tuberose, tuberous begonia, tigridia and Watsonia, to name a few.
For some true inspiration on bulb gardens, make plans to visit Rich “The Bulb Guy” Santoro, who each year turns his backyard into a kaleidoscope of color. This year, Santoro has planted 11,863 various bulbs.
Admission is free, but donations for St. Jude Children’s Hospital are appreciated. The garden will be open noon to 5 p.m., March 23-31, 850 Gateview Court in San Jose. Children are welcome, but not pets.
