This is the best time of year to be strolling through the garden. Everything is growing like crazy and the temperatures are absolutely fabulous. I was out examining the plants the other day and noticed the tomatoes are already blooming and the squash is not too far behind. Those weeds we talked about last time are still growing wild. I'd better finish the newspaper and leaf mulching job soon or they will take over.

Strolling through the garden is more than therapeutic for the gardeners. It helps keep problems in check. Someone has said that the best fertilizer is the footprint of the gardener. That is also true for best pest control. Our garden grows best when I take time to check over plants on a regular basis. Tiny problems become big problems when they go unnoticed for too long.

Pests are much easier to stop early in their life cycle, when they're more susceptible to safer treatments. When I'm out in the garden I'll turn a few leaves over and look for egg masses or signs of an early mite or aphid buildup. Likewise, many diseases are much easier to prevent when detected early.

Our lawn is finally waking up from its winter rest. Southern turf grasses like St. Augustine, Bermuda, and Zoysia love warm weather. They gradually emerge from their winter rest as the temperatures warm up and the spring rains provide needed moisture. We always wait until we've mowed the turf twice before applying any fertilizer. If we apply it earlier the turf gets some benefit, but it's the winter weeds that really get the boost and much of the fertilizer can wash away with our frequent spring rains.

By the time we've mowed the turf twice, it's growing vigorously and can use the added nutrition. In much of the lower South this often falls around tax day, April 15, making it easy (albeit painful) to remember. Coastal southern gardeners may remember April 1 as their average fertilizing date (no foolin'), while in the upper South, May Day is your day!