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Bloom: Early spring planting
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Anonymous user Tue Nov 30, 1999 00:00:00 PST
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0 responses 0 comments After our recent wet weather, many local gardeners have been forced to cozy-up indoors and plan for sunnier days in the garden.

Once our storm-drenched soil is dry enough to work, grab your jacket and be off to your local nursery. The following are good choices for early spring planting.

Herbs
Various plants called "herbs" are used for culinary, curative, ritual or ornamental purposes.

What unites them?

They all have leaves or flowers that are capable of releasing powerful scents. Be sure to grow herb plants where they will be touched or trod upon.

Most annual and perennial herbs can be grown from seed; good selections of already-started plants are widely available in 3'', 4'' or 1-gallon pots. Check labels or references for mature sizes, and space plants accordingly.

Most herbs are tough and trouble-free both planted out or in containers. Although popular, especially in cold-winter regions, indoor culture produces inferior plants and is not recommended.

These and many other culinary herbs are sturdy, perennial landscape plants: Aloysia triphylla (lemon verbena); Laurus nobilis (Grecian bay laurel, a tree); Rosmarinus officinalis vars. (upright or trailing rosemary); Salvia spp. (sage); and Thymus spp. (thyme).

Plant deep-green parsley –– either flat-leafed Italian or traditional curly –– alongside flowering annuals or perennials.

These water-thrifty herbs combine well with other drought-tolerant Mediterraneans: Achillea (yarrow); Artemisia (southernwood, wormwood); Lavendula (lavender); Rosmarinus (rosemary); Santolina (lavender cotton); and Salvia (sage).

Perennials
Selections of small plants are plentiful. Space transplants generously; mulch well to insulate roots and to retain soil moisture.

For sunny spots: Achillea (yarrow); Cheiranthus (wallflower); Coreopsis; daisies; Delphinium; Dianthus; Gaillardia; Gypsophila (baby's breath); Hemerocallis; Penstemon; Limonium (statice); Salvia (sage); and Scabiosa.

For full sun or part-shade along the coast, or part-shade island: Aquilegia (columbine); Clivia miniata; Digitalis (fox-glove); Heuchera (coral bells); and Thalictrum (meadow rue).

Scented geraniums
Scented geraniums (Pelargonium spp.) are tough perennial shrubs with attractive flowers. They come in several dozen "flavors." Among them: plants reminiscent or rose, apple or peach that become 2-3'' tall shrubs; a furry-leafed peppermint geranium that forms a spreading, 2-4'' high mound; and nutmeg geranium, a dense little plant with ruffle-edged leaves. The leaves of scented geraniums can be used in jellies, puddings, teas, sachets and potpourris.

Herb collections
Be creative: Build herb collections, grouping plants by genera (mint, sage, lavender, thyme), by scent (lemon, mint, licorice), by leaf color (gray, silver, bronze) or to attract wildlife (bees, butterflies, hummingbirds).

April checklist:
Deadhead winter annual bedding flowers to extend their season. Remove tired plants as they fade. Add organic soil amendments before replanting summer annuals.

Begin feeding established trees, shrubs, vines and ground covers and flowering perennials. Never feed a dry plant. If using granular fertilizers, water thoroughly after applying to dissolve them and help nutrients reach the root zone.

And don't forget the snail bait!

Joanna Reed is the owner of Cricklewood Secret Garden on Brundage Lane. She will be writing a regular gardening column for The Southwest Voice.

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