By Marianne Binetti

The third week of March is time to look under a few fresh leaves for signs of aphid. The best way to control aphid invasions on roses is to find them on the new growth then just give the unfolding leaf a pinch. Squishing aphid and leaving their bodies on the rose will encourage beneficial insects to stop by for the free meal. It also scares off any new aphid thinking about making your garden their home; it’s true, insects do communicate and the sound of dying comrades keeps other aphid away.

Early spring is also the time to buy and plant rockery plants for bright, intense color in poor rocky soil. Vivid, yellow “Basket-of-Gold” Aurinia, clear white Iberis or Candytuft and violet or pink aubrieta. All three are perennials so they’ll return year after year in your garden as long as you promise them no wet feet. Stuffing their roots into the crevices of a rockery or growing them a sunny slope mulched with gravel will make these three rock garden plants happy for years to come.

Creeping phlox is the other low-growing, brightly-colored rockery plant that paints a vivid picture of color every spring. Buy creeping phlox plants at nurseries now and you’ll enjoy bright carpets of color this very same spring.

Q. I have some birdhouses that have not been used for years. My neighbor says this is because I need to clean out the bird houses each year or the birds will never use them. Is this true? Anonymous, e-mail

A. Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Swallows and some other birds will do their own housekeeping and like to return to the same home each spring. But removing last year’s debris helps to cut down on diseases so use a trowel and wire rush to clean up bird houses now. New feathered families are looking for homes this month and there’s no better way to get some cheep thrills.

Q. I want to grow a giant pumpkin. When do I plant pumpkin seeds? L.B., Tacoma

A. Not now! Sit tight and get prepared because pumpkins are part of the heat-loving squash family and should not be allowed outdoors until there is no longer any chance of a frost; usually this means sometime in the middle of May. To grow a giant pumpkin, you need giant pumpkin seeds. It is a good idea to buy all your flower and vegetable seeds now before the supply runs low later in the spring. Then read and follow the instructions on the seed packet. Pumpkins need full sun and a warm spot in the garden. You can start preparing the soil this week by pulling weeds, adding compost and leveling the area with a rake. Start the seeds indoors in small peat pots around the middle of April, then transplant the young seedlings into a nice, comfy bed only when the weather has warmed. You will need to fertilize, water and give your pumpkin vine plenty of room if you want to grow yourself a giant. You must also be ruthless about removing any extra pumpkins from your vine. Champion pumpkins don’t like to share their vine with siblings – they need to hog all the nutrition and water just for themselves. In our sometimes cool summer climate, it is easier to grow mini pumpkins than giants, but the challenge is part of the fun. Just grow for it.

Q. I have some peony plants that are coming up now and unfurling their leaves. Every year it seems like I wait for the peony buds to open and then we get a rainstorm or cold weather and the flowers fall apart. This spring they are up very early. What can I do to protect the blossoms? R.T., Olympia

A. Protect peony flowers from the weather by picking them to enjoy indoors. Peonies here bloom when the spring weather is still wet and windy and so plan this year to harvest or pick your peonies when they are at the bud stage and just starting to show color. Recut the stems when you bring them indoors and place them into a deep vase up to their necks in warm water. Let them absorb all this moisture overnight and then keep the bucket of peony buds outdoors in the shade or in the garage out of the sunlight. Now just bring the budded peony stems indoors a few at a time to enjoy. The buds stored in the cold water will not open as quickly as the ones you bring indoors. But you still want to enjoy the flowers in your garden not in your home? Then place a metal tomato cage or circular plant support around your peony plants now before they start to bloom. Then hope for mild and sunny weather – with some luck this could be the year your peonies pop without plopping on the ground.

Copyright for this column owned by Marianne Binetti.