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" GARDENING TIMELINE The hows and whens of readying your garden for the warm-weather months.  LATE FEBRUARY/EARLY MARCH Buy seeds. They expire after one year, so you won&amp;#039;t be able to use last spring&amp;#039;s. Try heirloom seeds \u2014 they&amp;#039;re taken from the best-tasting, best-performing plants. Check out seedsavers.org. EARLY MARCH Clear debris from flower beds. This allows perennials and bulbs to grow freely; dead leaves and fallen branches can impede their growth.  MID-MARCH Sow vegetable seeds indoors. Do this six weeks before your area&amp;#039;s last-frost date (find yours at almanac.com) so they&amp;#039;re ready to plant outside by late spring. See page 40 for more.  EARLY APRIL Enrich garden soil. Veggies love nutrient-rich soil, so mix in some compost or garden lime.  MID-APRIL Plant pansies. These cold-friendly flowers can survive light freezes and short periods of snow cover. Plus, they couldn&amp;#039;t be prettier.  LATE APRIL Repot plants. A plant that has outgrown its pot (most plants do eventually) needs to be transferred to a larger home. Find out how on page 40.  AFTER THE LAST FROST Plant vegetable and flower seedlings and plants outside. They&amp;#039;re no longer in danger of freezing and are now hardy enough to put in the ground. REPOT A PLANT Your plant is ready for a bigger home when you see its roots poking up from the soil or out of the drainage holes, and you have to water it more than usual. Tools: Fork Potting soil  New pot (1 inch larger than current pot)  Watering can STEP 1: Un-Pot Your Plant Turn pot upside down and gently pull plant by the base of its leaves. Twist pot around to help remove plant.  STEP 2: Loosen the Roots  Shake off any dirt that&amp;#039;s packed around the roots. Lightly rake over roots with fork to loosen them (roots in too-small pots can tangle together) so they&amp;#039;ll grow easily into the new soil.  STEP 3: Repot into the New Container Pour 1 inch of soil into new pot. Place plant in pot and firmly pack soil around the root-ball, stopping 1/2 inch before the pot&amp;#039;s rim. The plant should feel secure \u2014 it shouldn&amp;#039;t move if you tip the pot from side to side. Water soil until it feels moist to the touch. JUMP-START YOUR VEGETABLE GARDEN Vine vegetables like tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, and squash are the best picks to start indoors; they take longer to mature and adapt well to outdoor transitions. Tools: Organic planting soil (try Miracle-Gro Organic Choice)  Large bowl peat pots (can be planted in the ground)  Planting tray with cover (or plastic wrap)  Pencil Seeds Popsicle sticks  Spray bottle STEP 1: Put Soil in Pots Pour soil into bowl and dampen until lightly moist (not soaking wet). Place peat pots in planting tray and fill them with soil to 1/4 inch below the rim. Press soil down firmly to eliminate any air pockets.  STEP 2: Plant Seeds Using pencil, make two to three holes in the soil 1 inch apart and 1 inch deep (check seed package for exact measurements). Put one seed in each hole; cover with soil. Label peat pots with the plant types written on Popsicle sticks. Mist pots until soil is moist; cover. Place tray by a sunny window.  STEP 3: Care for Seeds  Mist seeds daily and rotate tray so seedlings grow straight. Once they&amp;#039;re 1/4 inch tall, remove cover. At 1 inch tall, pluck out the weakest seedlings in each pot (so the roots won&amp;#039;t entangle and choke the healthiest plant).  STEP 4: Move Them Outside After six weeks, acclimate seedlings to the outdoors: Put tray outside for a few hours; bring it in at night. Repeat for three days, then leave it outside overnight for two days. Plant peat pots on the sixth day, making sure they&amp;#039;re completely covered with soil (otherwise pots will wick moisture away from plants). "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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