Marianne Binetti's spring gardening tips and tricks

This list of stories illustrates Marianne Binetti's practical spring gardening techniques, from planting cool season crops like peas and lettuce to pruning plants like hydrangeas and apple trees. She suggests starting small and using well-drained soil for planting, whether it’s flowers such as daffodils or groundcovers for rock gardens. Timing is a key theme, with advice to wait for frost to pass before adding warm-season plants like tomatoes or marigolds.

Tips for creating colorful landscapes include using vibrant primroses, hellebores, and pansies in containers and gardens. Incorporating native plants or reducing lawns under trees is another noted strategy to improve spring landscapes while saving water and maintenance efforts.

The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories below were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.

Tete-a-Tete Daffodils are dwarf daffodils (just 7 inches tall) that are the most likely to perennialize, or return year after year.

NO. 1: TIPS FOR PRUNING, PLANTING AND TAKING SHORTCUTS IN YOUR EARLY SPRING GARDEN

Early spring is a fine time to prune fruit trees, for instance. | Published March 1, 2025 | Read Full Story by Marianne Binetti

This stunning Zebra primrose is the among the hardy English Primroses that are slug resistant.

NO. 2: SPRING COLOR HAS SPRUNG IN WESTERN WASHINGTON IN THE FORM OF PRIMROSES, BULBS, PANSIES AND MORE

Give yourself permission to bring home a potted primrose or daffodil from a local garden center, farmers market or grocery store. | Published March 8, 2025 | Read Full Story by Marianne Binetti

Forsythia bushes are usually the first burst of yellow to show up in Pacific Northwest gardens.

NO. 3: IT’S FINALLY TIME TO GROW ‘COOL SEASON CROPS’ SUCH AS PEAS, LETTUCE AND KALE IN PUGET SOUND REGION

Plus tips for pruning forsythia and setting traps for slugs. And just how long are seed packs good for? | Published March 15, 2025 | Read Full Story by Marianne Binetti

A swath of the slow-spreading evergreen groundcover pachysandra can be seen at left. By Fred Ortlip

NO. 4: SHRINK THE SIZE OF YOUR PACIFIC NORTHWEST LAWN THIS SPRING TO REDUCE COSTS AND WATER USE

Here are some ideas for using less water and fewer chemicals and adding more diversity and color to your landscape. | Published March 22, 2025 | Read Full Story by Marianne Binetti

The Endless Summer hydrangea is a newer variety that flowers on both old and new wood, so it will bloom “endlessly” all summer even if it is pruned in the spring.

NO. 5: SPRING GARDENING TIPS FOR TAKING CARE OF HYDRANGEAS, HYACINTHS AND MOSS IN THE LAWN

Also, what to prune and what not to prune this time of year. | Published April 5, 2025 | Read Full Story by Marianne Binetti

Creeping phlox grow most successfully in well-drained soil, such as on a slope held back by rocks. They flower best in full sun.

NO. 6: TIPS FOR CHOOSING AND CARING FOR PLANTS IN ROCK RETAINING WALLS AND UNDER TREES

Plus places to meet gardening columnist Marianne Binetti and get tips from her in person. | Published April 12, 2025 | Read Full Story by Marianne Binetti

NO. 7: DESIGNING A NEW LANDSCAPE? HERE IS OUR GARDENING EXPERT’S WELL-TESTED PLANTING PLAN

You can adapt it for a formal look or a more natural garden aesthetic. | Published April 19, 2025 | Read Full Story by Marianne Binetti

This report was produced with the help of AI tools, which summarized previous stories reported and written by McClatchy journalists. It was edited by journalists in our News division.