Here are the answers to some basic questions about gardening in Western Washington

The official first day of spring has new gardeners with new questions sprouting up, so let’s get to answering them.

Q. What is the difference between an annual and a perennial?

A. An annual is a plant like a geranium or marigold that lives just one year, then must be replanted annually. A perennial is a plant that may go dormant or disappear in the winter but then returns to bloom or fruit again the following year.

Q. Are all vegetables annual plants because they need to be planted each year?

A. No. Most homegrown vegetables such as tomatoes, lettuce and cucumbers are annuals as they die with the first cold frost in the fall. In Western Washington, we do enjoy some perennials that are edible such as rhubarb that can return year after year, asparagus that sends up fresh shoots each year, and Swiss Chard that can overwinter and provide fresh leafy greens for several years.

Q. Do all plants need fertilizer?

A. Nope. Most trees, shrubs and groundcovers do best with no additional plant food. Our native soil in Western Washington supports them just fine. Plants that produce a lot of flowers such as roses or a lot of produce like corn and tomatoes will perform much better if you provide really rich soil and fertilizer during the growing season.

Q. Do all trees and shrubs need pruning in the spring?

A. Nope. Most trees and shrubs like to grow as nature intended, getting larger each year. Pruning is done to give plants a better shape and to thin out inner branches so that the plant gets better air circulation. If you like the way a plant looks and have room for it to keep growing, you don’t need to prune.

Q. What is the climate zone number for Western Washington?

A. Most people who read this column live near the I-5 corridor that runs from Bellingham to Olympia and so our zone is considered Zone 8 a or Zone 8 b. This is according to the USDA, which records our lowest winter temperatures as between 10 to 20 degrees.

The confusion with zones is that the Sunset Western Garden book (considered the gardeners Bible for decades) has come up with a more detailed and accurate zone assignment and gives our area a Zone 4 or Zone 5 based on rainfall and other weather patterns, not just cold winter weather. If you are looking at plant tags on trees and shrubs, just keep in mind that our winters can get as low as 10 degrees.

Q. If I buy a plant like a begonia and the tag says it grows in shade, will it die if I plant it in sun? What if I try to grow a tomato in a shady area – is that bad?

A. No, to the first question, as plants that have shade lover on their tags will often adapt to our mild sunshine in Western Washington and do just fine in full sun.

Yes, to the second question as trying to grow a heat- and sun-loving plant such as a tomato in even partial shade will end in disappointment, tears and temper tantrums — and that is just from the plant, sometimes the gardener puts on a bigger show of anger. Right plant, right place is the way to keep everyone happy.

Get more beginner gardening tips by following me on Facebook and Instagram at Marianne Binetti. Because the more you know, the more you grow.

Marianne Binetti has a degree in horticulture from Washington State University and is the author of several books. Reach her at binettigarden.com.

This story was originally published March 20, 2021 at 5:45 AM.