Annuals Sort through any old seed packets you come across. Most flowers are good for at least 2-3 years. If you decide to use old-timers, sow on the generous side. Plant indoors seeds of warm season flowers  six weeks before the last spring frost date.

Bulbs Plant gladiolus at two week intervals for succession  of bloom. Plant tuberoses. Fertilize tulips and  daffodils with a small amount of super phosphate, bone meal, or 20-20-20 to increase flower size.   Allow bulbs six weeks of green growth of bloom.

General Remember to feed the birds. Take up bird seed hulls from under the feeders as  they will kill any thing under them. Start weeding when the first wretched weed pokes up its head.  Celebrate Arbor Day (the third Monday in March).  If you didn’t get a chance in the fall to clean up flowers beds, the vegetable garden, etc. now is the   time before they get away from you. Yes, I’m speaking from experience.

Houseplants As growth resumes, start to fertilize again. Trim off any dead leaves; trim fern fronds with dead  ends.

Lawns De thatch your lawn as needed. Don’t use herbicides on the lawn during the green up period. Apply a  pre-emergent for crabgrass control by March 15. Lawns may be sod now.

Perennials Plant new perennials. Divide summer and fall bloomers now. Cut back liriope with a  lawn mower set in high. Fertilize peonies and wisteria with super phosphate. Cut back and divide ornamental grasses.

Roses Prune them now. Apply final dormant spray immediately or within one day of pruning. Prevent black   spot by spraying twice a week for the first 2-3 weeks after roses leaf out. Plant new roses.

Vegetables Plant see of cabbage, kale, lettuce, peas, rutabaga, salsify, spinach and turnips.  Onion sets or seed can   be planted as can transplants of broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, collards, kale, parsley and Brussels   Sprouts. Six weeks before the frost date you can plant (inside) the seeds of warm season vegetables like   eggplant, peppers, and tomatoes.  Start planting green beans and corn at the end of March.

Pruning Evergreens needing severe pruning should be pruned now. Buddleias (butterfly bushes), crape myrtles,  althea, summer blooming Spirea — in short, mid to late summer bloomers can be pruned now till mid–  March. Do not prune spring bloomers, such as azaleas and rhododendrons as their buds are already set.   Fruit trees can be pruned now till mid-March—before the sap begins to flow. If you have over wintered   tropicals (like mandevilla) now is the time to shear them back.

In like a lion and out like a lamb? Not always. Usually never. The average date of the last frost for Benton County is April 20. The latest date for a killing frost is May 13.