Is winter finally over?

Goodbye, Winter!

How many times have we said this the last six weeks? Maybe this time it is for real.

A look at the forecast gives us hope for warmer temperatures but not too much encouragement to wager when to lock up our snow shovels.

Someone told me they knew of someone who cut their grass already. Couldn’t possibly be in Spokane County, I thought. And if they did, why? I can’t imagine it was even green.

Even if your lawn is snow-free it is not a good idea to roll machinery and equipment over the soggy grass until the frost is out of the soil.

While on the subject of lingering snow covers, when it finally melts, you may see snow mold. Don’t get too excited about it. Just rake it out. Moss is a different story. You may have to wait until it dries out, then rake out the dead moss so the grass can get the light it needs.

A good aerator treatment is helpful in maintaining a healthy, good-looking lawn and can eliminate the need for de-thatching which rips up your lawn and upsets the healthy balance of your soil.

A reasonable schedule for aerating is early spring or late fall. Core aerator machines can be rented or hire operators to do it for you.

If you have been enjoying your ornamental grasses, Calamagrostis, Feather Reed Grass, Stipa, Feather Grass and Miscanthus, Maiden Grass until just recently, and now they are looking pretty scruffy, trim them back to about six inches from the ground before new sprouts appear.

Helictotrichon, Blue Oat Grass and fescues you can also trim or simply gently comb out the spent blades.

Many of our shrubs have taken a beating this winter. Even if you pruned them last fall they may need a good trimming before the leaves bud out. A good rule of thumb is not to trim back more than a fourth the first year then maybe more the next year. Basically, at this stage of the game we are striving for an attractive looking plant.

If you could not wait to plant your tomato seeds and the plants have become leggy, you can take off the lower leaves and plant the stem up to the top third of the plant. (Deeper if you have a deep enough container) Anywhere the soil touches the stem on a tomato plant root will grow and strengthen the plant.

When it is time to transplant again you may plant it “deep” again. When it goes into the garden, it will be strong enough to better withstand the wind and other elements.

Though the garden is quiet these days, the sky is not and I have welcomed the songs of the birds. I imagine the winged ones are disappointed when they swoop down for a snack and find the landscape still white.

I have managed to keep my bird feeder ready for my hungry visitors and they have responded with cheerful thanks. The squirrels, however, don’t seem to understand the goodies are not for them.

The neighbor's cat, always my ally, has assumed the role of patrolling the squirrels as we all wait for spring.

Margaret A. Swenson is a Master Gardener in Spokane County.