For those living in the North the March winds can do more damage to plants than the hard freezes of winter. Right now plants are moving from a dormant to an active state. Growth impulses take place, not in the roots, but in the buds, which are exposed to all changes in temperature. Azaleas, forsythia, and other early – flowering shrubs become active with the slightest rise in temperature.

Chill, drying winds can harm unprotected plants. Be careful, therefore, about uncovering plants too soon; many will have started growth. Sudden exposure at this time could be disastrous. Uncover gradually, leaving some protective covering until the new growth becomes a little more hardened.

Digging and soil preparation can begin just as soon as the frost is out of the ground. If the ground is at all workable, get your plowing or digging started. Light, sandy soils can be put into shape sooner than heavier soils.

Nearly all gardens need lime. If quantities of organic matter are used it is absolutely necessary. It neutralizes acids in the soil which result from decomposition of organic matter and other causes, thereby aiding bacterial action. Heavy clay soils are more friable (easier to break up) and their structure improved. Lime supplies plants with calcium; a lime deficiency in the plant will mean a deficiency in food value.