Baby it's cold outside~   This has been a long cold winter for the deep south.  Freezing temperatures at night...followed by sunny days.  We even had snow flurries here in Crestview!

 

Although daytime temperatures are slowly beginning to come back to our normal 50s-60s... don't be fooled into putting out your bedding plants too soon.  We can usually count on one last cold snap around the end of March that produces a hard frost. That can disasterous for young tenders like impatiens or begonias.    So when you go to the garden centers.... or smell those wonderful hyacintyhs at the stores....Remember, no matter how tempting they are, that if you take them home with you, you may want to keep them as house plants until all threats of a freeze are gone.

 

Pansies can offer a spike of color and can hold their own against those chills of the season. Azaleas should be getting ready for their colorful displays that brings a smile to our winter weary souls.

Daffodils are almost ready to poke up out of the ground and in bloom in some areas. Crocus are following too. It's a great time to assess your needs for spring planting, mulching and shaping shrubs. Azaleas should not be trimmed back until they have bloomed, but don't dally into early summer or you'll trim off the next season's blooms. March is the time to cut back several varieties of clematis in order to assure abundant flowers in summer and fall. Days are getting a bit longer.... spring showers are getting our plants ready to smile. Spring. What a wonderful time in the garden. Hope you enjoy it!