This has been a challenging spring.

One day you swear it is spring and the next we feel it is winter. However, the ground is thawed out and things are popping out. We can’t complain about the rain and light snow because we can always use the moisture.

We feel confident on pruning things this time of year. The threat of a freeze is not as bad as the threat of growth. These warm days roses are growing and you want to encourage the new growth on “Knock-Out” roses close to center stem. Climbing roses are a different plant. Spirea is another shrub that is good to get pruned in March. Check to see how your shrubs are doing this time of year.

Spring bulbs are popping and are safe right now, but it does not hurt to put a layer of mulch over them to give them more protection and make them look better while they are blooming.

Now is the time to apply a pre-emergent onto your gardens. This will help with stopping the germination of the seed your birds have planted in the soil. It will not help the weeds that have already spouted and are growing, they simply need to be dug out.

Contact Kathy Baxter at gardensbykathy@live.com.