A little babying will help seedlings or new plants from the nursery grow up strong.

Spring is a dangerous season for gardeners. It can energize you to such an extent that you plant hundreds of peat pots with seeds or purchase carloads of plants at your local garden center. It's not unusual to discover that in your exuberance, you've bitten off more than you can chew. How will you protect all those baby plants so that they make it to adulthood?

First, determine whether the plants are ready to live outside. Most annuals (plants that you must plant or seed every year) are not frost hardy, and should not be planted prior to the average last frost date. In Fort Collins, this date is May 10, meaning that half of the time, northern Colorado experiences killing frosts after this date. So, keep your eye on the weather forecast in mid-May before planting annuals outside. Only a few annuals are designated as frost hardy. These plants may be planted outside after they have been hardened off.

Hardening off is a process used with both annuals and perennials which allows plants to get used to living in the fluctuating temperature conditions of the outdoors. To harden off plants, place them outside in their pots only during the day time. Put them in a place where they are protected from sun and wind. If the daytime weather gets nasty during the hardening off period, bring the plants back indoors. Frequently, many of the perennial plants that are available at local nurseries have already been hardened off. This is particularly true of plants that are on display in outdoor locations in larger sized containers. However, if a plant looks so lush that you suspect that it has been growing in California, ask nursery professionals if the plant is really ready for you to put it outdoors in Colorado. If you do plant something that is lush and leafy, be prepared to cover it with frost cloth or an overturned cardboard box when the temperature threatens to dip near freezing.

If a plant is ready to be outdoors, but you're not ready to plant it yet, place it in a protected outdoor location away from sun and wind. By reducing the plants exposure to sun and wind, you will find that it demands less water. You want to be certain that you keep the plant's soil moist but not dripping wet. Plants in pots should be checked every day to ascertain that they have enough water. Plants can't exactly walk around and find sustenance for themselves, and unlike babies, they can't cry out to tell us when they need attention.

When you're ready to plant, make sure that your soil is also ready. It is always a good idea to get a soil test done before adding soil amendments. For complete information on preparing your soil, read Colorado State University Cooperative Extension's Fact Sheet #7.222 "Soil: The Key to Successful Gardening." In Fort Collins, where most areas have clay soil, it is necessary to add organic matter in the form of compost, well-composted manure, or peat moss. To discover the soil amendment that is right for your situation, consult Fact Sheet #7.235 "Choosing a Soil Amendment." A general rule of thumb for planting is to dig a hole slightly shallower than the depth of the pot and at least three times as wide. Add no more than 3 cubic yards of organic matter per 1,000 sq. ft. of soil or approximately 1¼ inch of amendment over the soil and mix it together well.

Finally, before putting the plant into the hole, you will want to cut any blooms or buds off annual or perennial flowers. This will allow the plant to concentrate on developing roots. In cases where the plant only flowers once a year, this can seem like a major sacrifice so it is best if you can get the plant into the ground well before it has bloomed so that this chore is not as necessary.

Gently squeeze or thump the bottom of the pot to release the plant. Look at the plant's roots. If the roots are circling around the pot, break up the roots and fan them out to encourage them to grow out beyond the boundaries of the discarded pot. Put the plant in the hole making certain that the crown of the plant is level or slightly above the top of the hole. Fill the hole around the plant with the combination of garden soil and soil amendment, and give the plant a nice long drink of water. Cover the exposed soil around the plant with some form of garden mulch.

Over the next few weeks, visit your new plant regularly to check soil moisture. You want to avoid both overwatering, a major cause of plant death, and too frequent light waterings. To understand when your plant needs water, dig down with a trowel about 6 to 8 inches at the edge of the planting hole. If the soil feels dry or crumbles, water the plant. For more information on caring for young plants call the Larimer County Master Gardeners at 970-498-6000.

Tender loving care at the start of a plant's life in your garden, can pay off in the months and years to come.

Q. How do I decide if my perennials need to be divided? When is the best time?

A. When the clump declines in vigor by dying in the center, weeds and neighboring plants have invaded the clump or if it is a tangled mass, the perennial will benefit from dividing. Most clump forming perennials need to be divided every few years. Their bloom and flower size will increase and the propagation of new plants from existing perennials provides free plants. Divide spring-flowering perennials in fall and fall-flowering perennials in the spring. Pick a cool day and gently dig up with a fork a clump with as many roots as possible. Hose off the root ball, removing as much soil as possible. Use a sharp knife or pruning shears to cut the clump into quarters. When dividing plants that develop woody growth in the middle, such as chrysanthemums and summer phlox, discard the centers and make divisions from the more vigorous outer sections of the clump. Pull the quarters apart and further divide them with your hands or a knife. Each division should have a sturdy root and from one to three leaf fans. Replant divisions immediately in prepared, amended soil and water them in well. Replace the piece removed with amended soil. Always mulch the new plantings to retain moisture. (See Fact Sheet #7.402 Perennial Gardening)

Q. Last year my container gardening was a flop. The plants were always droopy, they withered in the heat and my hanging baskets didn't cascade. What did I do wrong?

A. For success with containers, take a few precautions to ensure healthy plants. Because roots are confined in small spaces it is crucial to make sure the plants will not be stressed by under or over watering. Larger containers usually hold moisture longer and can be of clay, plastic, wood, ceramic or even cement blocks. Drainage is crucial, as the plants will not grow in soil that is continually water logged. Potting soil should be free of disease organisms, insects, and weed seeds. To prevent salt buildup in the containers from water-soluble fertilizer, mix slow release fertilizer granules into the soil mix at planting. The pellet fertilizer simplifies container care because each watering releases fertilizer on a constant basis. Water-holding polymers or gels increase the water held and extends the time between watering. Add the polymers to the soil at planting. Do not use garden soil as it contains too much clay, which compacts in pots preventing oxygen from reaching the roots. Containers require frequent watering and should never be allowed to dry out. If the potting media shrinks away from the side of the container, it will be more difficult to re-wet. Deadhead regularly to increase flower production. Prune or pinch plants to shape. Replace individual plants when they are past their peak of performance. (See Fact sheet #7.238 Container Gardens)

Q. Woodpeckers are damaging my home and driving me crazy. They are drilling holes in the wood near the eaves and "drumming" on the side of the house. How can I prevent damage and eliminate them?

A. Woodpeckers are not easily driven away once they are established. The "drumming" is to attract mates, establish their territory or search for insects. Several techniques to eliminate woodpeckers include visual repellents, loud noises, exclusion, alternate construction materials or providing nesting boxes. Cosmetic mirrors can be placed on the side of the house where damage occurs with the enlarging lens outward to frighten the woodpecker. Hawk mobiles can be constructed from cardboard or plywood, painted black and hung from the eave near the damaged area. Black plastic strips cut from 4 or 6 mil plastic, pinwheels with reflective vanes, or aluminum pie tins may also be placed near the area to frighten woodpeckers. Some woodpeckers are frightened away by loud banging of pots and pans, cap guns, or yelling. Exclusion means prompt repairing of large holes with aluminum flashing, tin can tops or metal sheathing, and paint them to match the siding. A cavity-type nesting box in the vicinity of northern flicker damage is worth trying where other methods have failed. (See Fact sheet #6.516 Preventing Woodpecker Damage)

Grow veggies right on your patio this summer. You'll need a pot that's about 16 - 18" deep for most vegetables. In addition to determinate tomatoes, try pole beans and make a tepee of bamboo poles for them to climb up. You can also grow peppers, eggplants and even potatoes. Grow pots of bush summer squash and bush cucumbers like Bush Champion and Salad Bush on your deck for beautiful plants and great eating.

Choose a cloudy day or late afternoon or evening when transplanting flowers and vegetable "starts" into the garden. Water the flats before transplanting and keep as much soil on the roots as possible. Watering in each plant after you've moved it into the garden will settle the soil around the roots. A starter fertilizer solution (6-10-6, 5-5-5) at half-strength will help the plant become established.

Spider mites are a common pest and different species attack anything from house plants to evergreen trees. The clover mite, a serious pest of turf, is usually the mite that enters your house in spring and fall and congregates on wall and windowsills where it is hot and sunny. There are natural enemies that keep the mites in control but they are often killed by using insecticides to try to kill the mites. Hosing plants with a forceful jet of water can physically remove and kill many of the mites. It will also damage their webbing and delay egg laying. Adequate watering of shrubs and trees during drought can also limit spider mite outbreaks.

Wild plum can be seen blooming along streams and irrigation ditches from the plains to the foothills to about 6,000 feet. The flowers are white to pink, 5 petaled and they open before the leaves come out. The fruit is about an inch long with a single pit and a tough skin. Birds and small mammals eat the fruits and find shelter in the dense thickets that develop from suckers. Wild plum can make a good screen or barrier in the landscape.

The authors have received training through Colorado State University Cooperative Extension's Master Gardener program and is a Master Gardener volunteer for Larimer County.

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This page updated:  May 3, 2004