Look closely. Spring Is Already Here.
- Diana Pierce
- Mar 11
- 5 min read
When containers are empty, the possibilities are endless.
By Diana Pierce | March 11, 2026
I did a double take this weekend.
That tiny hosta shoot (or “nose”) next to my front door, maybe a quarter to a half inch tall, was already pushing through the rock bed and snow. I wasn’t expecting to see it. But in my recent conversation with Hennepin County Master Gardener Theresa Rooney, she says go look now — right now — and you just might find, like I did, that spring has already shown up.
Theresa is a familiar voice on WCCO-AM’s Saturday morning gardening show, and here is her best early-season advice for Minnesota gardeners, from reading your yard to taming the deer.
Start with a Walk and a Snow Map.
Before you start your seeds or reach for a shovel, Theresa says, go look at your yard. Right now. The snow is your secret weapon.
“Take a picture with your phone today, then look again in two or three days,” she advises. “Where the snow melts fastest is where the sun hits most. Where it lingers, the sun doesn’t reach. Your yard is telling you everything you need to know.”
From there, think about what you want to grow and where it needs to live. Vegetables want full sun. Herbs and cut flowers you love to smell? Keep those close to the house. Tall statement plants can anchor a far corner near a chair that will be a destination instead of a backdrop.
Theresa recommends browsing Pinterest or library books to start curating your vision. “Keep two files,” she says. “One for what speaks to your heart, and one for what you absolutely never want. Both will shape your garden.”
Above all, start small. One container. Two vegetables. One area. Learn, succeed, then build.
Theresa’s advice: start with the biggest pots that work for your space. Then fill them with whatever makes your heart sing.
Pests: Get Ahead of the Bunnies and Deer Now
Here is the hard truth about garden pests: they are already watching. Before your hostas and lilies even break the soil, the bunnies know they’re coming. That tiny hosta tip pushing through the snow at the top of this page? It’s already on their radar.
Theresa’s prescription is simple: fence now, before there’s anything to eat. Deer netting draped over corner stakes is nearly invisible from 15 to 20 feet away, and you can leave it loose enough that plants push up through it as they grow. Once plants are established and other food sources appear, you can often remove it.
For hostas in particular, don’t count on plant variety to save you. “They’re basically asparagus to a bunny in early spring,” Theresa laughs. “That first tender green is irresistible.”
UMN Extension link on growing hostas: https://extension.umn.edu/flowers/growing-hostas-minnesota
Alternative shade plants like coral bells or bleeding heart may fare better in deer-heavy areas. And if your HOA allows it, overseeding your lawn with clover gives bunnies something they prefer, which may well save your perennials.
Diana note: My HOA doesn’t allow it. Check with yours.
For a more high-tech solution, look for a motion-activated sprinkler. Hook it to your hose and it startles deer at night. Just remember to turn it off before you head out in the morning.
As for disease prevention: if you leave leaves on your lawn over winter, rake them gently once the ground dries out. Fungal disease loves that damp mat of debris. For shrubs and roses, thinning them out now to improve air circulation goes a long way.
Microclimates: Every Yard Has Its Own Personality
Minnesota gardeners know we live in Zones 5a/b - 3a. However, Theresa wants you to think smaller than that, right down to your own backyard.
“Microclimates are those little special areas where conditions are slightly different,” she explains. The south side of your house warms early and holds heat longer. The north side might take an extra month to thaw. A large tree can act like a frost blanket, extending your fall and buffering harsh winds. A downspout creates a consistently moist pocket, perfect for hydrangeas but a problem for lavender.
That snow map you took? It doubles as a microclimate map. Fast-melting patches are your warmest spots. Slow-melting areas are cooler and shadier. Match your plants to the conditions that already exist, and you’ll stop fighting your yard and start working with it.
Nature is talking all the time,” Theresa says. “We just have to listen.”
Pruning: The Clock Is Already Ticking
If you have oaks, elms, ashes, or fruit trees, Theresa has one urgent message: prune them by the end of March — no later. After that, you risk inviting insects and disease that can kill the tree.
For anything that blooms this spring like lilacs, mock oranges, rhododendrons, or azaleas, put your pruners away entirely. You’ll cut off the very blooms you’re waiting for.
When you do prune, always ask yourself why first. Crossing branches? A storm-damaged limb? A branch that hits you in the face every time you mow? Once you know your reason, follow the 25% rule: never remove more than one-quarter of a plant in a single season. If a tree is seriously overgrown, plan for a two-to-four-year restoration.
Winter is actually the best time to study your trees. Without leaves, you can see the structure clearly and spot exactly what needs to go.
And if you need a ladder for your tree — or a chainsaw — call a certified arborist.
Find an advisor through this link - https://mntca.umn.edu/find-tca
Always verify they are licensed and bonded. “You don’t want to fall, and you don’t want to drop a limb on your house,” Theresa says simply.
And those ornamental grasses planted near your foundation? Cut them down now — they’re ready.
The Best Prescription in Gardening
Theresa closed our conversation with what she calls “a prescription from Dr. Gardner”: go outside and visit your yard once a day.
“Let somebody else do the dishes,” she says. “You have a chore to do out there.”
Whether you are gardening in a half-acre yard or a single container on a deck, the principle is the same: show up, pay attention, start small, and let the yard tell you what it needs. Spring is here, even if it’s hiding under a dusting of snow.
Happy March cleanup! Let me know which spring chore you put at the top of your list!
Diana
© 2026 Diana Pierce
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