Are you playing 'catch up?'

After that long wet spring, most of us are still playing “catch up.” Things we normally have planted are still in their nursery pots. Now that most of the night-time temperatures are staying at 50 or above, it should be safe to plant out most things.

One word of caution: when planting dahlias and coleus, be careful not to over water them. These are both very sensitive to cold too, so keep an eye on the forecast. If we are to get a cold night be sure to cover them. Remember the ground temperature is usually about 10 degrees colder than the air temperature.

Don’t panic if you see a crane fly in your yard. Remember, these are NOT related to mosquitoes despite the old wives tale. They do look like a mosquito on steroids, but that’s where the resemblance ends. These cannot bite and only hang around long enough to lay eggs in the lawn where their little grub babies hatch and chew on the grass roots.

Now that the lilacs have put on their annual show, it’s time to think about any pruning you may want to do. To avoid cutting off the buds for next year’s flowers, be sure to do any pruning within a month of when blooming stopped.

Now that the hummingbirds are visiting our feeders several times a day, we need to remember not only to change their food often, we also need to thoroughly clean the feeders. To do this, mix a solution of one part white vinegar to four parts water. Rinse well before adding new sugar water. Do this once a week. They can get sick when eating from unclean feeders. You don’t want that on your conscience!

Give your raspberry plants some attention. They need to be tied up to individual stakes. Also, be sure to dig out any sucker plants. These steps will go a long way toward making berry picking a pleasure instead of a nightmare.

When you plant containers, be sure to use the largest ones available. Not only can you plant more in those, they don’t need to be watered nearly as often.

When you’re choosing plants to put in those containers, remember the old tried-and-true formula: a thriller, a filler and a spiller. This just means a tall plant, a spreading plant and one that hangs over the edge.

Another thing to keep in mind is the need for similar locations. Use sun lovers for that sunny area and shade lovers where the sun is pretty much absent.

Try this next time there’s lightning. When it flashes, immediately count the seconds until you hear the thunder and divide by five. This tells you get how many miles away that lightning strike was.

For some great buys, be sure to stop by the River City Gardeners’ annual plant sale. This year it will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, June 3 at 416 E. Third Ave., Post Falls.

Here is today’s question to ponder. Does running behind count as exercise?

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Elaine Cerny has gardened most of her life, starting in 4-H. She has belonged to garden clubs in three states and is currently serving as secretary for the River City Gardeners Club in Post Falls. Her column appears in The Press every other Sunday from early March until late October.