Even though snow covers your garden beds, there are some garden related tasks that can be taken care of during early March.

• If you haven’t cleaned your outdoor planters, scrub and sterilize them now with a solution of 1 part bleach mixed with 9 parts water. Then rinse them thoroughly with clean water.

• Gardening tools that haven’t been cleaned can be washed and sterilized with this bleach/water solution, or with 70% Isopropyl Alcohol.

• Get your pruning tools, spades, garden bed edger and mower blades sharpened if needed.

• Get your lawn mower and other garden equipment tuned-up.

• Draw up a plan for your vegetable garden so that this year’s crops will be rotated and not planted in the same place as last year.

• Contact gardening and lawn care professionals to get scheduled into their calendar as spring is a busy season for them.

• Join a garden club or take a gardening class to get new ideas and meet other gardeners.