We've been enjoying the spring rains this week, although at times they may get to be too much of a good thing. Gardeners who did not plant in raised beds often find frequent rainfall turns the garden into a swamp.

Plants also seem to know the difference between rain and irrigation. They appreciate a good drink from my water hose, but they absolutely relish in the water that comes from the sky. I think they grew twice as fast after that last rainfall.

The catch 22 of rainfall is that weeds love it too. Those tiny crabgrass seedlings among the tomatoes are ready to leap up in a few days. I'm hand weeding now, and I usually wait to mulch my planting beds in the spring until the weather warms considerably. Mulch applied too early can keep the soil cooler and slow growth of tomatoes and other heat-loving veggies.

However, for other plantings and cool-season vegetables, once the weeds have germinated and are a couple of inches tall, I cover them with 4 sheets of wetted newspaper followed by enough leaves or pine straw to cover the paper. This method keeps the garden virtually weed free for the season. At the end of the season the paper is mostly decomposed and can be mixed into the soil.

Of course, weeds can be avoided simply by planting in containers. We've been planting some containers of shade-loving and sun-loving flowers for the porch and front steps. Containers of color are nice because they can be moved easily to "redecorate," or if one looks bad it can be replaced with another. I love the wonderful choices of containers available today. Terra cotta, plastic, metal, decorative and painted Styrofoam, and hypertufa provide a variety of options. I also like the whimsical containers; an old boot, a rusted out galvanized bucket, a chicken feeder, a wheelbarrow, or even a bathroom fixture.

Be creative and let your imagination run wild. Go ahead and try some new containers this season. Don't feel like you have to fit a mold, but don't tell the neighborhood association I told you to do it!