Spring gardens in the NW include the delight of daffodils and the scourge of slugs
Don’t be an April Fool this month and try to plant warm season crops such as tomatoes, peppers, squash or basil, and don’t add blooming annuals like marigold, coleus and impatiens that hate the cold. There are still plenty of cold nights ahead.
If spring fever hits, just keep weeding and search out new trees, shrubs and perennials for your garden as these can be planted now.
Q. I planted the seeds of lettuce in my garden then used a floating row cover to protect the seeds from extreme cold. The seeds sprouted and I even saw young leaves that looked like lettuce. A few days later every seedling had disappeared. I did find a small snail under the cloth covering. Could one snail eat an entire row of lettuce? — N.B., Bonney Lake
A. Yes. Slow but hungry are the bi-words of snails and slugs this time of year, and if you saw just one snail that means a dozen or more could be hiding just below the soil’s surface. Always protect young seedlings from slugs and snails in the spring. There are several different brands of pet-safe baits with names like “Sluggo,” “Worry Free,” and “Escargo,” and if you follow instructions, you can even use these baits around edible crops.
Q. I was given a Shamrock plant for St. Patrick’s Day. It is now getting bigger and floppy. I keep it in my office and have watered and fertilized it, but I prefer to keep it smaller and more compact. Should I just plant the thing outdoors and let it grow? — P.T., Tacoma
A. Letting your “Shamrock” plant run wild outdoors could be a move you regret. Most of the gift plants sold as a Shamrock are actually a form of Oxalis and there are many varieties but all can become invasive in a shaded garden. There is a native oxalis called Wood Sorrel and I do enjoy it in my own garden, but if you don’t have lots of room to let it romp you should keep your oxalis in a pot.
To keep the potted plant from getting tall and floppy, do not fertilize it and hold back on the water once it blooms. This plant grows from a bulb so it will slip into dormancy for a few months after flowering. You may want to place it in a hidden spot while it rests then when it starts to sprout again, add water and place the plant near a bright window for an encore performance.
Q. My daffodils are blooming! This is my first time planting bulbs so I am very pleased but need to know what to do next so that they will bloom again next year. — N.G. Olympia
A. Congrats on your green thumb and dancing daffodils — and take the time to enjoy the spring show. Once the flowers have faded, snip off the spent blooms but do not cut the green leaves. You must allow the foliage to remain until the leaves have turned totally yellow and come off easily from the bulb when given a tug. Then just wait until next spring. Daffodils need good drainage and average soil and this pest-resistant bulb is much more likely to return next spring than tulips or crocus.
Marianne Binetti has a degree in horticulture from Washington State University and is the author of several books. Reach her at binettigarden.com.