Weekend Gardener

Bulbs to force in the greenhouse can be brought in now from the pit where they were buried if you planted “prepared” bulbs. Ordinary bulbs should be left for another two weeks or more so that they can build up a stronger root system. Put the bulbs into the dark for a week to compel them to make longer growth. Greenhouse owners create dark areas to put the plants in the darkness. This also helps hold the warmth that encourages faster growth.

March winds can do more damage in Northern gardens to some plants than the hard freezes of winter. Plants are now moving from a dormant to an active state. Growth impulses take place not in the roots, but in the buds, which are exposed to all changes in temperature.