If you purchase pots of spring flowering bulbs in bloom, it is generally best to discard them after they finish flowering. Some exceptions would be amaryllis, paperwhites, daffodils and other narcissi. These can be planted into the garden when the flowers fade. Wait until April to plant amaryllis.
- Now is a good time to dig, divide and transplant dormant hardy perennials in your flower gardens. Do not dig and divide any perennials that are in active growth now, such as Louisiana irises, calla lilies, Easter lilies, acanthus and spring flowering bulbs.
- Plan to prune your repeat-flowering roses over the next few weeks. This is particularly important for hybrid teas and grandifloras, but it is a good time to prune any roses that need shaping, dead wood removed or size control. This pruning should be done even if your bushes happen to be blooming now. Do not prune once-blooming roses until mid-summer after they finish blooming.
- Plant Irish potatoes into the garden now through mid-February. Cut seed potatoes (available at nurseries or feed stores) into pieces about the size of an egg. Make sure each piece includes at least one eye. Allow the cut seed pieces to heal a few days, then plant them into well-prepared beds about 12 inches apart and four inches deep. Harvest generally takes place in May. Red LaSoda (red) and Kennebec (white) are generally the most readily available, and both produce well here.
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