Anchorage Daily News

After more than three decades of writing this column, there is one question that I now get more frequently than when I started back in 1976: "Do you ever just pull up a column from 20 years ago and run it?"

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Garden calendar (3/12/09)

PAUL STEMATS AND THE ALASKA BOTANICAL GARDEN SPRING SYMPOSIUM: This is a do-not-miss event for any and all gardeners, including youngsters. Nothing here is that complicated! First weekend of April. Got to www.alaskabg.org for information. Reserve the date. Lots of speakers (me included) and fun.

CLASS ON TOMATOES AND POTATOES AND GARDENING TIPS for beginning gardeners: 10 a.m. to noon, March 21, Alaska Mill and Feed. Learn about varieties that do well in Alaska. Free, but class size is limited. Please call 276-6016 to sign up.

THE DIRT DIVA’S SEED SWAP IN PALMER: 11 a.m. Saturday, Red Beet Cafe, 320 E. Dahlia Ave. in old town Palmer, located between the borough building and the library. It continues to 2 p.m. with a presenter at the top of each hour. And it’s free. Well, almost; bring seeds and you’re in! 1-907-745-4050.

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Of course, the answer is "No." My mother taught me the difference between right and wrong. Ah, but it would be impossible to write a garden column in Alaska and not repeat a topic from year to year. Such is the nature of a "how to/when to" type column like this one.

Having denied pulling an Ann Landers, let me add that if ever there was a month when I actually would be tempted to run the same old column, it would be March. All spring is a critical time as we all get ready to grow outdoors, but March is the start and the longest out, so miss doing something you need to do now, suffer the consequences later.

For starters there are those stored plants, fuchsias, begonias, pelargoniums, gladioli corms and dahlia tubers. These all need to come out of the crawl space to start the new season. Wait another month and they will not have had enough time to produce flowers.

The fuchsias need to get some water and light, but only if they pass the scratch test: scratch the bark in a few places and make sure the plants are alive. You will see a light green color under the bark. Don't go nuts, just gently scratch a small area until you get confirmation. Then soak the soil in warm water for 15 minutes and put containers in the window or under lights. Keep temperatures cool; around 50 degrees is ideal.

The begonias can stay in their containers or be put into new ones. They can also be started in flats (greenhouse-speak for shallow trays). Depress them into the soil to the level of the lip of the concave side. Do not let soil get into this depression as this is where the new growth will start, tiny pink buds that develop into stems. Don't get water in this area either. Soak old containers in warm water. Your best light is necessary. You can keep these in warmer temperatures than fuchsias, say 65 to 70.

The pelargoniums in the house should already be growing and even blooming. Those stored upside down in paper bags in the garage should be pulled out and checked for life. Pinch down from the tips of branches until you pinch into what will obviously be live stem. Those that survived should be potted up in great soil or humus, watered and placed in the light. Temperatures should be on the cool side.

Gladioli corms can be planted all at one time in a flat or pots but they will flower all about the same time. If you want to spread out the flowering period a bit, you can start some every few days or so. Either way, pointed end goes up and you don't need to cover them with too much soil. Later, after they sprout, you can add soil or when you transplant them you can add soil on top of the corm or plant them deep. Incidentally, last year's corm won't grow this year. You should see a new corm under the old one if you didn't separate them last fall.

As for the dahlias, place them in the light and let them develop some eyes. Then you can cut up last year's bunches, but make sure to leave part of the stem attached to each tuber. The juncture between tuber and stem is where the new eyes develop. The eyes will grow into new stems. You only need one tuber to form a mature plant, so you may end up with lots of plants. Share.

Next, you have to buy seeds before there are none. This is Alaska. Miss a crucial date to start something and you miss the season. Don't get carried away but don't plan on waltzing into your favorite nursery in June and finding the carrot variety you really wanted.

Finally, there are things that will need to be started in March. Flowers include lobelia, pansies, rhodochitons, fibrous begonias, foxglove and hollyhock. Later in the month: Lupines, malvas, salvias, pansies, violas, verbenas, carnations, cosmos, seed dahlias and godetia. Miss planting your own and you may not have what you need to make your landscape complete. Or you might have to pay a lot to get them!

The same is true with vegetables. This month's "must plant before it is too late" vegetables include celery, leeks and onions (which really should have been started by now). Hey don't forget artichokes which turn out to be fabulous Alaska plants. They can grow huge in our sun.

Jeff Lowenfels is a member of the Garden Writers Hall of Fame. You can reach him at teamingwithmicrobes.com or by calling 274-5297 during "The Garden Party" radio show from 10 a.m. to noon Saturdays on KBYR AM-700.

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