The brain is warming up, too. It's time to reacquaint ourselves not only with plant names but old routines, needed supplies and the early sunrise, problem areas and zones of contentment. The nurseries don't necessarily trust us with this one. If they put out the plants too early, they know we'll buy them, plant them and then be sorry when cold weather kills them. But start looking.
Some places have their best picks of herbs and tomato plants out already.
If you buy tomato plants now for best selection, wait until the third week of April to plant if you don't want to have to baby them through any remaining cold weather. In the meantime, bareroot roses and any form of shrubs and trees can be planted. If you were planning to get a large tree planted this spring, you only have a couple of weeks, because they are on the verge of breaking dormancy and then can't be moved, McDonnell says. In the vegetable garden, put in onion sets and potatoes and transplants of asparagus and rhubarb. You can also plant lettuce, spinach, peas, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, radishes, beets and turnips.