Oh yes, it is so hard, but I am not picking up a rake yet.

I definitely want to clean out my beds, but I've decided to fluff the mulch instead. I think that's a good compromise.

I'm finding myself busy doing other tasks anyway.... removing a shrub, possibly relocating 2 lilacs, moving a pile of dirt, putting up my rabbit fence, raking the lawn to remove the snow mold and make the blades stand up.

There's plenty to do!

Help me out. Isn't it too early to do all of that?

I hear ya sister...gonna prune a few crabapples today and pick up trash...the rest must remain till later. Helen.

zenpotter....

If you're talking to me, then no, it's not too early for any of it.

Raking the lawn because of the snow mold was recommended by Bobby Jensen on Grow with Kare a week and a half ago.

Removing dead shrub is no big deal since the ground is thawed and dry.

Transplanting a shrub.... good idea now when it's dormant and the ground is dry.

I'll be putting up the rabbit fence as soon as I can cuz as soon as the first hosta pops out of the ground, the rabbits will be out in full force!

And like Helen said, you can always do spring cleanup type tasks.... removing dead foliage from perennials, cutting back grasses, removing blooms from hydrangeas. There's lots that can be done without damaging anything.

Wow, my ground is still frozen! Couldn't move a shrub if I wanted to! LOL

But I could rake the lawn, I suppose. There is a ton of millet under the bird feeders that needs to be raked out. I was afraid to rake since the ground is still frozen, thought it would damage the tender grass.

Linda

I'm doing my best too, not to touch that mulch. I have though poked around and also see Iris and a few other plants poking up.

Even though the snow mold isn't fun to look at, it is recommended not to rake the yards until we have thawed a bit more. Early raking pulls to hard on the grass blades and might pull out roots etc.

Sandy

Not sure how frozen my ground is but it is still wet so won't be raking anytime soon.

I cut back the dead foliage of echinacea and other perennials as well as cut the grasses as they are already growing. Also fluffed the leaf mulch.

The tulips and daffodils on the east side of the house are budding already. They come right up through the mulch.

I am hoping to move a shrub next week when temps are expected to be in the 70s.

Will also finish my spring sowing OUTSIDE! Didn't get much winter sowing done so it will mostly be spring sowing.

Thanks folks. I was confused about the raking. It is still wet here too. I will hold off. The frost isn't completely out yet either.

I do have some sprouts in my wintersowing. I am going to do a close check on them today to see just how many are sprouting.

OH man this is hard! It is beautiful outside, but I don't dare go out. If I do, I will start pulling mulch and want to rake and and and

This year I didn't do any wintersowing, I was to busy with my business.

Is it to early to put geraniums and begonia's out in the unheated greenhouse? Most likely..........

The wintersowing is going crazy. I can't believe how many things are up. I will at least get the veggie beds ready this weekend if it doesn't rain as predicted.

I think this will be a different spring like it was about 3 yrs ago. That year, I put toms and peps and annuals in the ground about tax time and gambled. No frost but of course they didn't do much till the ground warmed up but they got sun ea day. Had I lost them, no big deal as I had more inside..it was just an experiment. I might try this again here in StP....1st to rid the yard of junk and leftovers from fall. And, make a cold frame or two

Yesterday I cleaned up an area of a flower bed that I moved plants from last fall.It is going to hold two 4' x 4' sections of square foot veggie gardens. That gave me the satisfaction of garden work without uncovering the plants too early.

My wintersowing is doing too well I am afraid if we have a drop in temperature like that spring 3 years ago I will again loose a lot of plants.