Hey you'all you better be workin that soil and cleanin those landscape beds.........beautiful weather the past 2 weeks. Cut back your grasses and any other perennials from last season and then apply a fresh layer of compost or hardwood mulch. If you use Preen for pre-emerge weed control, you better get to it PRONTO....weeds will be germinating very soon. Remember, when your bulbs are done flowering, DO NOT cut off the green leaf part of the plant, these is what will provide the "food" for the bulb and next years flowers. Take care and happy gardening....

I went up to the Chicago Flower and Garden show Monday (3/8/10), great event, awesome garden displays, however they could cancel the "cheezy" retailers section. If you have never gone to the show, you should try to get up to Navy Pier this year or next to see the gardens, and to think that all that work is for an 8 day show....cudos to the landscape companies for giving the public great ideas.

March 6, 2010, with spring just around the corner this is a great time to get the garden and yard cleaned up. On your "to do" list should be things like: cutting back grasses and other perennials before new growth starts up; pruning any shrubs that were damaged either by animal browsing, snow load or shubs missed last fall. Be sure you know the variety and/or flowering time of the shrubs before you prune....you could be removing a spring display of flowers. This is a great time to apply hardwood mulch if needed because it is alot easier to spread while the plants are leafless. Pre-emerge chemicals, if you choose, should be applied now to your landscape beds. Here in Central Illinois, my spring bulbs are about 2-3" up now....looking forward to the color. I am busy assisting the"early birds" with landscape plans, if you have a project in mind for this year, you better get a call into your landscaper to start the planning. I am already booked with jobs through the end of May so far. Take care.