The Primrose Path

Cool Season Vegetables

Start cabbage, broccoli, lettuce, and other cool season vegetables from seed now. Many varieties are available on seed racks.

Pruning

Prune clematis that bloomed last summer now. Wait to prune spring-blooming varieties until after they bloom.

Bare Root Plants

Bare root fruit trees, grape and berry vines, and ornamental trees and shrubs are still available.

Peach and Nectarine Tree Care

This is the last chance to spray peach and nectarine trees for peach leaf curl before the buds break open. Use copper spray for the best results.

Onions

Set out onion plants now for an early summer harvest.

Primroses

Primroses are an excellent choice to start a spring garden. The name comes from the Latin primus, meaning "the first." This large family includes 400 to 500 species, mostly in the Northern Hemisphere. Some are hardy garden species, while others require heated greenhouses. Only a few are well-adapted to California's long, hot, dry summers.

Popular Varieties

• Polyantha Hybrids ("English primroses"): Thrive in this area and return year after year, growing larger and more floriferous each time. Flowers come in a wide range of colors: white, yellow, gold, orange, pink, red, maroon, blue, or purple, often with yellow centers ("eyes").
• SuperNova Primroses: Feature clusters of bright-colored flowers atop 6-8-inch-tall stems. Individual flowers are about an inch across, with clusters containing a dozen or more blooms.
• Primlet Primroses: A new line with clusters of smaller double flowers tightly held like rosebuds, making them ideal for small containers.

Planting and Care

Primroses are best enjoyed up close, such as along a path for a colorful walkway. Suitable companions for a moist, partly shaded spot include astilbes, ferns, hostas, forget-me-nots, and Bethlehem sage.

• Soil: Provide rich, woodsy soil enriched with compost, humus, peat moss, and well-rotted manure.
• Location: Choose a shady spot, a woodland garden, or an area that gets winter sun and summer shade from trees. Ensure they can be watered throughout the summer. A little mulch helps retain soil moisture.
• Under Oaks: Plant in flower boxes or barrels to avoid overwatering oak trees in the summer.
• Maintenance: Cut off old flower stems as they fade and trim tattered leaves to keep plants looking their best. They will continue blooming through April. Feed lightly after bloom to strengthen plants and mulch through the summer.
• Division: Divide thick, overgrown clumps every 3 or 4 years in May.

Annual Use

Primroses also make lovely annual bedding plants. Available during winter and spring, they provide a colorful display.