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What is a gardener to do? After a mild winter and early spring, flowering trees, bulbs and perennials were at least 3 weeks ahead. Then a succession of late freezes put the breaks on. My bleeding hearts, hostas and some other perennials were nipped back hard. After a light trim, the last two weeks they recovered. Just in time to get frozen again.

Our frost-free date for Lancaster County is May 15th. We may use every second of that this year.

Spring planting is always dicey. Warm weather in April gets us excited to plant our patio containers, get the veggies going and bring out the short pants to herald summer. Snow is supposed happen in February not May. This year gardeners get their exercise bringing tender plants in and out of the garage.

The main difference between planting shrubs and perennials in the spring versus the fall is soil temperature. In the spring, the ground is still cold and the air is (usually) warm. This favors leafy growth over strong root development. In the fall, the opposite is true. Soil, still warm from summer, helps roots develop while cooler air temps signal the leaves to begin the dormancy process.

Tender annuals, veggies and warm season perennials like echinacea and most grasses prefer warmer soil than we currently have. Many of us find ourselves with extra time on our hands this spring and gardening is a great excuse to get outside. Pulling weeds is a great stress reliever and I find the rain is definitely encouraging them.

So get outside, enjoy the parade of spring colors, pull some weeds but use the 10-day weather forecast as a guide before you plant.

Spring can be rough on new transplants. It is important to make the transition from inside a greenhouse where tender plants are protected from winds, direct sunlight, frost and cold temperatures to the outdoors slowly and gradually. This process is call “hardening off”.

Whether you’ve started seeds at home, or purchased them from a greenhouse, the process is the same. Ideally, bring plants outside on a calm, cloudy day. Leave them out for a few hours at a time then bring them back under cover. A little wagon that you can wheel back and forth to the garage comes in handy for this purpose. Days that are extra windy- leave them in the garage. Strong winds snap tender stems and dry out the leaves; this will really stunt young plants. Gradually add a few hours a day until they are out all day, even overnight. Then go ahead and plant them in the ground.

So what is happening to your plant during all this shuffling back and forth? Physiological changes inside the plant’s cells are preparing them to tolerate the elements. The cell walls thicken by increasing lignin development. These thicker walls help resist breakage of tender “soft” growth. The ratio of water to carbohydrates inside the cells tilts to favor sugars. This reduces the amount of water in the cells that is subject to freezing. The cuticle, or waxy layer that coats the leaves gets thicker in response to the environment. This helps keep the water inside the leaves instead of drying out in the sun and wind. Plant growth also slows to accommodate formation of stronger, tougher cells.

If you have a cold frame you can use this to harden off plants. Open the lid during the day, and then close it up at night to keep warmer air inside. Just don’t forget to open it on sunny days!

Especially tender plants like warm season veggies cucumbers, melons and peppers or heat-loving annuals like impatiens, begonias, and lantana won’t tolerate freezing temperatures even after hardening off. These plants will need extra babying. Wait until May when both the soil and night temperatures warm up for these plants.

Hardening off is a process- even the professionals get burned sometimes. We had a whole crop of butterfly bushes that we overwintered in a covered greenhouse. The mild winter and sunny spring pushed their growth and they leafed out early. We put them outside on a mild day and they were out for about 2 weeks before we had another cold night. I thought they were hardened off enough. I was wrong. 30 degrees was enough to blacken the top 1” of new growth. They aren’t dead, but they certainly didn’t appreciate it.

When you are buying plants, ask if they’ve been hardened off. If they are inside or look significantly further along than the plants outside, the chances are no. A little effort to harden off your transplants will go a long way to improve their growth and performance the rest of the season.

My favorite hobby is bird watching or maybe it's gardening or maybe I decide when I get up each morning, but ideally, I find time for a little of both every day. Both are mostly perfect for the social distancing needed for the current threat that I take very seriously.

Going to the woods alone and turning my hearing aids way up, I am enjoying the bird singing that heralds the arrival of spring. We will soon see our winter migrants return north but still need two or three weeks before the summer birds return or pass through on their way north. However, it is beginning.

Honestly, I am staying closer to home, dividing my time between Susquehannock State Park and both ends of the Octoraro Reservoir. At the lake I seldom see anybody; while at the park two days a woman approaching with two dogs quickly picked another route when she saw me. I guess any of us could be scary right now.

The only problem I have had occurred each of the last two times I was out. An Eastern Phoebe accompanied me for several hundred yards at two different places. The phoebe is a flycatcher, dark above, with creamy breast who likes to wag his tail. He flew from branch to branch never very far away. Obviously, not a social distancing convert.

On the gardening side, I just got a voluntary job of caring for a large non-residential property that at best has seen only basic care for many years. Armed with a rake, clippers and a chain saw I set out to convert some shrub jungles into individual shrubs.

Out came briers, multiflora roses, poison ivy and bits and pieces of the wanted plants. Found branches with six-inch diameters in a burning bush, possibly a Guiness record. The rules say "Don’t prune spring bloomers now". I cheated, but tried to preserve spring, too.

Concerning the poison ivy. I am lucky, I could roll in it and never notice. My wife is the opposite so I have become very careful to use lots of soap and warm water after pulling it. However, I struggle with one of the five guidelines. I’m a face toucher. I guess I stroked my winter beard and skimped with the soap and water.

When she decided that kissing your spouse of 50+ years did not violate social distancing she was rewarded with poison ivy on her chin and neck.

As a needless reminder, spring bloomers should be pruned after bloom. Fall bloomers now. If you have fruit trees, now.

In 15 or 20 visits, I have seen only two visitors in the distance at my new mental salvation gardening project.

To garden, one needs plants and that is where social distancing concerns arise. I will try to figure out how to get plants while avoiding crowds. My wife is fashioning masks and I’ll likely wear one when out looking.

I hope everyone can take some time to appreciate this gorgeous spring we are having. For the first time in a few years my star Magnolia is in full bloom and not in danger of frost nip. Forsythias, daffodils, hellebores, and flowering quince are all sharing the stage. A nice balance of sun and rain hasn’t beat up blossoms, yet still nourishes the soil.

While flowers are great, food stability is at the top of everyone’s mind. I’ve seen more than one Facebook post about reviving Victory gardens. While I’m not quite ready to homestead yet, I sure am thankful for the peas, beans, and corn in the freezer and the tomatoes in the pantry. Too bad you can’t grow toilet paper.

What can you plant now to supplement runs to the grocery? Cool season crops like lettuce, spinach, broccoli, cabbage and kale are great choices. Cauliflower and Brussels sprouts are in the same family but produce better in the fall, for me at least. It doesn’t stop me from trying them though. These can be started from seeds or starter plants. If you are starting with plants, make sure they are hardened off. Leave them outside during the day and bring them in at night for several days before you plant. Sometimes I get in a hurry, but I’m always glad when I wait. Several local greenhouses are open. Some are offering online order/cashless/curbside pick-up for safety.

Seeds obviously will take longer but you will have more choices of variety. Locally Rohrer’s in Smoketown has a wide selection and offers online ordering at rohrerseeds.com. Johnny’s, and Select Seeds are great online sites. There are several Good’s stores in various locations also. Forgive me if I missed your favorite supplier.

Peas are one of my all-time favorite things fresh out of the garden. Plant those now as well. Get ready to stake them. Sturdy PVC or wooden stakes with heavy twine or chicken wire make good climbing support. Pound your stakes in when planting the seeds. They’ll grow faster than you think. Beans can be seeded soon as well.

Leeks, beets, Swiss Chard, may be a bit harder to find- but are also great additions to the vegetable garden. Plant onion sets, potatoes, strawberry plants, asparagus roots, and rhubarb now as well. For best results do not harvest asparagus, strawberries or rhubarb the first year as they are perennial crops and need time to get established.

Hold off on warmer season crops like tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, squash and melons until late April for the tomatoes and May for the rest. They need much warmer soil temperatures.

All vegetable gardens need sunshine, frequent weed-pulling, often staking and more fertilizer than the flower beds. Composted mushroom soil used to scare me, but now I’m a convert as long as it has been properly aged. Tomatoes need additional calcium to prevent blossom end rot. Keep an eagle eye our for insects that would like to share your bounty. Soapy water, neem oil, or spinosad for those more organically minded will help with aphids and potato beetles. BT (for Bacillus thuringiensis, if you are playing trivial pursuit or doing the crossword) is a natural fungus than can be bought at a garden supply store to combact Cabbage worms.

“Stay Safe” seems to be the greeting of choice these days. Take care of yourself and your neighbors. A little patio container of cut-your-own lettuce and cheerful pansies may go a long way towards helping someone feel much more hopeful.

Last week we got a new puppy for our daughter, Ali. Bear is a little black and white Pomeranian ball of fluff and personality. Our nine and ten-year-old dogs were young long enough ago, I forgot how much work puppies are. Then came the news schools were closed for COVID-19 and I got relieved of puppy-tending duty as my 8th and 6th graders are now home for the foreseeable future.

Bear loves to spend time with us both playing outside and as we work in the greenhouse. He is so much fun to play with, but it’s not an easy job to keep him safe. He loves to chase dry leaves in the yard and un-transplant the seedlings in the greenhouse. They are exactly at his mouth height. Several petunias have already come out the loser.

I figured it was time to review what plants are harmful to pets.

Spring bulbs are emerging now and some like daffodils, crocus and tulips are harmful to animals if ingested. They can cause gastrointestinal problems, excess salivation, tremors and potential cardiac problems. Other summer bulbs like gladiolas, lilies, caladiums and the house plant amaryllis bulbs should also be kept out of pets’ reach.

Several perennials are infamous for their toxic properties. Aconitum, or monks hood, is neuro-and heart toxin. It was used by the villain in more than one mystery novel I’ve read. Foxglove or digitalis, a heart toxin, is poisonous to people and pets. Digoxin was isolated from foxgloves to treat some cardiac problems in humans, but don’t self-medicate from your yard! Chrysanthemums make their own insecticides, pyrethrins, which induce vomiting and diarrhea in your furry friend.

Most herbs like parsley chamomile, rosemary and sage are quite safe and actually aid in pup’s digestive health. Keep Fido out of the vegetable garden though. Tomatoes, in the Solanaceae family, contain the chemical solanine. It is a substance found in the green leaves, stems and green fruit. It can cause gastrointestinal upset, cardiac problems and loss of balance. Some pets like to eat ripe tomatoes as a snack. That is ok, as there is no solanine in ripe fruit.

Houseplants are really popular right now, but there are some that can cause harm to pets. Be aware of aloe, while healthy to rub on burns, contains saponin. This chemical causes lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea and nerve problems. Other houseplants like palms and jade should be kept away from pets. The safest houseplants for cats and dogs are spider plants, polka dot plant, African violets and Boston fern.

Of the woody plants, rhododendrons and azaleas are most poisonous to pets. They contain grayanotoxins that disrupt cell metabolism specifically nerve and muscle cells. This leads to severe cardiac problems. Evergreen boxwood and yews are both harmful if eaten. Hydrangeas and hibiscus also contain chemicals that upset the stomach if eaten.

While it is hard to keep a curious puppy from chewing everything in sight, very few plants are truly harmful. If you suspect your pet has eaten something from your yard, try to identify it, and call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 immediately. Sometimes they will suggest you induce vomiting, or offer more targeted treatment if available.

For a complete list of harmful and helpful plants check out the ASPCA website at: https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/toxic-and-non-toxic-plants