Life is full of questions. The most common lawn and garden questions I receive this time of the year are as follow:

When is the first day it will be safe to plant a summer garden? The first day after the last frost! The problem is determining the date of our last frost. The average last frost for Dawson County is around mid-April. It should then be safe to plant summer flowers and vegetables.

Can I plant a fescue lawn in the spring? Fescue should be planted in either the spring or fall. Fall is much better for fescue. Many times fescue planted in the spring will die due to dry weather of summer. Fescue planted in the fall has time for roots to form before summer.

When is the best time to prune azaleas and other spring-blooming shrubs? The correct time to prune is after they have finished flowering. You may prune again if needed in June or July; however, never prune after September 1.

When can I divide my perennials? This one will take too long to answer in its entirety because of the many varieties and exceptions. However, there are some generalizations that can be made to help answer questions on plant division:
· Spring and fall are the best time to divide perennials, but again it can depend on the variety. Ornamental grasses respond better to spring division, while astilbes, irises, and peonies are better divided in the fall.

· Hosta and cone flowers seem to do best when divided just after emergence in the early spring.
· Many vines and ground covers such as ivy or ajuga can be divided in either spring or fall without much trouble.
· The main point is to avoid any division of perennials during the hot summer or cold winter. Many perennials can be divided by hand, but a sharp hand shovel may do best on perennials with tough tubular roots.

As always, feel free to call the Dawson County Extension Office for your lawn and garden questions, (706) 265-2442.