The beginning of spring is among us. Beautiful days, cool nights, and wind especially in the southwest (it can't always be perfect).

You should be able to plant just about anything including bulbs, trees, shrubs, bedding plants. Be careful with tomato plants,however, the weather can be a bit tricky during this month.

If you do plant frost tender plants during the March gardening season, be prepared to cover them in event of a late frost.

In the Southwest New Mexico area or lower elevations of the southwest we usually get a cold snap followed by some pretty warm days during the month of March. Try using "Wall-o-waters" for your tomato plants to help protect them from temps down to 15 degrees f.

Some flowering shrubs, trees, and vines you may want to consider are wisteria, Idaho locust, rhaphiolepsis, carolina jessamine, cross-vine, roses, flowering cherry, crape myrtle, texas sage, trumpet vine to name a few.

Fruit trees should be abundant at this time of year, and can be planted as late as May without undo stress. Varieties that we carry are cherry, apple, plum, apricot, pear, peach, nectarine, pecan, almond, fig, loquat, grapes, raspberries, blackberries and more.

Bedding plant selection should be increasing and usually include pansies, petunia, viola, stock, snapdragon, dianthus, herbs, alyssum, marigold, poppies, to name a few.

Now is the time to feed your cool season lawn with 16-8-8, containing iron, zinc, and sulphur, if it has been more than 4-6 weeks since you last fed your lawn. Feed your bermuda or other warm season grass at the end of March with the same product mentioned above.

If you had problems with weeds last year you may want to consider using a pre-emergent herbicide in early March.This comes in liquid or grannule form and will prevent weed seed from germinating if applied correctly. This pre- emergent can be used in rock, or graveled areas as well, without injury to existing landscape trees, shrubs and plants.