Lynne Irons is away this week. The following column first ran on April 20, 2007.

Last week’s wintry snap brought about much grumbling in the community. I like the way it has stretched out the crocus blooming and delayed some of the flowering shrubs so we can enjoy them as we get planting done. True delayed gratification at work. A healthy child learns that before the fifth year.

I remember a few years ago, it was like this in April. I religiously sprayed the tulips with deer protection, gave them an extra shot of bulb tone, and anxiously awaited. I had planted a shocking amount of Angeliques and Mount Tacomas (pink and white double peony-flowered annual tulips). They burst forth with all that I had hoped. The next day, it unseasonably climbed to 90 degrees and they literally fell over not to be seen again. Tulips hate 90. Be careful, you might get what you think you want.

I had an informative conversation with Mitchell Posin at the Allen Farm concerning fertilizer for perennial beds this time of year. We settled on North Country Organics Pro-Start 2-3-3. He convinced me that it is an excellent choice for starting seeds, transplants, new lawns, root vegetables, and legumes. It works on the roots. In the perennial bed, it gives more blooms and shorter, stronger stalks. The paperwork on the product calls it the landscaper’s forgotten friend.

Since I am in the middle of a commercial break, let me push another one of my favorites: the flat hose. Although they are not as rugged and long lasting as a regular hose (I only use all rubber), they can be left out all winter and be run over with the truck. There are few products more convenient. They are a takeoff on the fireman’s hose. A 50-footer can be slung over an arm while pushing a wheelbarrow. They are worth the price.

I attended another Slow Food potluck last week. Again, some of the best food. There was a lovely wheat berry and fresh watercress (from our lagoon) salad, two-hour-old oysters with pesto, ravioli with homemade ricotta and revenge soup (garden vegetables with venison).

That brings me to the latest deer disaster: the day lilies which were up a mere two inches are all about a quarter of an inch at this point. Honestly, I don’t think they missed one single leaf. I should have seen it coming. I take back anything I may have mentioned remotely complimentary concerning them.

Every year it is amazing how much I enjoy daffodils. For some reason, they don’t seem to multiply in my yard the way I see it in my wildest dreams. Nevertheless, even a lone one makes me happy. There is one variety I see around that I cannot find in any catalog. It is very old-fashioned — a double with green and yellow. Anyone know?

Last week while going around at my usual breakneck (pardon my wording) speed, I took a direct hit to the eye with a branch. I was trying to prune another dead branch with it. After the warning of various friends, I saw the eye doctor and had a pair of safety glasses made. The secretary and I were talking about gardening danger to the eyes and decided one of the worst offenders is hydrangea. She gave me a great tip. She uses the dead branches of the hydrangea for stakes. They look completely at home in the bed and don’t need to be removed come winter.

After all the rain last week, things are jumping out of the ground, lawns are greening up, and I now feel under the gun to get the annuals seeded inside. I seed up almost all annual flowers very thinly in a flat and then plant out the whole thing. I just lift the soil carefully and put the 12-inch by 18-inch slabs of, say, zinnias, in a long row in the cutting bed. Sometimes I form a circle with the slab to cover the dying foliage of early spring bloomers. This method is economical for a big splash of color and saves the roots from being ripped apart.

As with vegetables, I put about an inch of good compost, a sprinkling of Pro-Start and then Metromix 360 or some other light planting medium.

If you put the seeds directly into good compost there is a chance they will develop damping-off, a fungus-like condition that weakens the baby stems and often kills the whole flat. Perlite or vermiculite on the surface is a good foil. Resist the temptation to overwater, especially on a cool or cloudy day. I harden plants off before putting them outside. Saw my first slug. Talk about detestable. I have had success with bowls of beer to trap them. Slugs and humans are probably the only creatures who will drink beer to the death. It is pretty disgusting to pour out their swollen bodies, but the alternative is worse. They will mow down a row of morning glories, shred the hostas and polish off any ripe tomatoes that the crowds inadvertently miss.

What with all the bad news about gardening it is a wonder I do it at all.

But hope springs eternal.