Keep bulbs inside until danger of frost has passed

Get a head start on summer-blooming bulbs and tubers by starting them indoors in a moist, soilless mix.

Plant caladium, colocasia (elephant ears), begonia, tuberhybrida (tuberous begonia), crocosmia (montbretia), agapanthus (Lily of the Nile), canna, general's garden canna and polianthes (tuberosa). Keep warm until new growth appears. Move pots into a sunny window or under grow lights if necessary. Move these pots outside when all danger of frost has passed and after gradually introducing plants to the growing conditions outside.

• Propagate houseplants, softwood cuttings, leaf cuttings, air-layering, cane cuttings and divisions all may be done in spring.

• The snowfall a few weeks ago is of no concern now for any perennials and bulbs that have started growing. The snow cover was a good thing to help protect the plants from the cold temperatures that followed. It is best to wait to work your garden's soil until it dries. The structure of the soil can be damaged if you dig while the soil is too wet to work. You should also avoid excessive walking in wet garden beds to avoid damaging the soil.

• Protect emerging tulips from deer and rabbit damage by spraying with a repellent or covering with netting as the snow melts off. The deer have been browsing gardens in my neighborhood in Highland Park. These animals may be more aggressive this spring in looking for plants to eat after the long winter. Repellents will need to be reapplied after rain. Netting will need to be adjusted as the bulbs grow and may need to be weighted down to keep from blowing away. Animals do not typically eat daffodils, Siberian squill, and ornamental onions.

• Tim Johnson is director of horticulture at Chicago Botanic Garden, chicagobotanic.org.