Quotes from Duane Campbell's "Best of Green space" with photos of our daffodils with 8-inches of snow.

"Last month I resolved not to make any more New Year's resolutions. So far I haven't broken it. How are you doing with yours? But the itch is still there, so I'll make resolutions for other people. For Free."

Then, Campbell goes on to why you should get a seed starting lighting system set up in your home.

"Of course you don't want an ugly shop light hanging in a bedroom. So tart it up. Spend an extra two dollars for a can of spray paint to match the wallpaper and use brass decor hooks in the ceiling. You could even glue a little lace along the edge of the light; that's what my wife would do."

On the topic of replanting potted flowers -

"About the time the (Easter) lily fades, mothers will be wallowing in azaleas and hydrangeas and mums. Can they be planted out in the garden? I have no idea. Probably not."
"Though there are hardy varieties of all of these, the Mothers Day plants are often bred for greenhouse culture and won't take our winters. Or maybe they will. But there is usually no way of knowing.
Here's how to find out if they're hardy. Plant them outside. If they are still alive next summer, they are."

"There has been an inordinate amount of claptrap written about pruning clematis, some of it by me. There are three different types of clematis, and each has its own complicated pruning regimen. I have tried to explain it to myself, also without success."

On vegetable gardens
"There are people who still believe that a vegetable garden must be out back and must consist of only vegetables. These are often people with fond childhood memories of long hours under a hot sun with a hoe. Character building, their fathers said. As adults, these people would rather eat soggy string beans out of cans for the rest of their lives than make a vegetable garden. Well, you can do it. And you can do it without a hoe. In fact without much effort. Except once, the first year, at the beginning."

More good stuff from Duane Campbell in his current articles here.

Health Care for Your Plants

Duane Campbell of Bradford County PA (zone 6b) is a regional expert in all things plants and soil.

One of his recent articles focuses on health care for plants: Sun, soil, air, etc.

"Just as colds and flu can lay low people who are taking care of themselves properly, even healthy plants can succumb to common bugs and diseases when the season is right. That's what medicines are for. Call an antibiotic a pesticide and people would think twice before swallowing it, but that is just what it is."

Check out his columns at this link for Daily Local News.

Campbell's water garden piece at Bella Online is here.

He has been writing about gardens and gardening for 30 years and knows his stuff. Check it out.