Check out the library's gardening books for your planting needs

Spring has sprung this month. Gardening hobbyists are busy getting their gardens ready for planting. Stella doras have started blooming.

It's not officially National Garden Month yet but my fascination has peaked as everyone around me has started muttering about and accumulating seeds and plants that they're harvesting this year. I happened to be in my sister's kitchen a couple of days ago and exclaimed "what is that?" to the cool plant on her fridge. It was a Tillandsias.

'The houseplant survival guide' by Pat Regel might be a good one for me. The progression of get a plant, a pet, etc. isn't working. I cannot seem to keep my peace lily, named Lily alive. I hear they're pretty indestructible.

The library has a copy of 'Carrots love tomatoes: secrets of companion planting for successful gardening' by Louise Riotte for those trying to decide how to lay out their garden or 'The plant finder: the right plants for every garden' for the person who is not able to make up their mind on what to plant.


For those who do not have a lot of room to start their gardening adventures, check out 'Grow great grub: organic food from small spaces' by Gayla Trail or 'All new square foot gardening: grow more in less space!' by Mel Bartholomew.

If your garden is having a bit of a problem, look for 'Rodale's vegetable garden problem solver: the best and latest advice for beating pests, diseases, and weeds and staying a step ahead of trouble in the garden' by Fern Bradley or for the dry Kansas climate check out 'Dryland gardening: plants that survive and thrive in tough conditions' by Jennifer Bennett or 'Bulbs in the basement, geraniums on the windowsill: how to grow and overwinter 165 tender plants' by Alice McGowan.

For lawn landscaping and maintenance, look for 'Design ideas for home landscaping' by Catriona Tudor Erler or 'The organic lawn care manual: a natural, low-maintenance system for a beautiful, safe lawn' by Paul Tukey.

For more information, check out the National Gardening Association website for great resources. According to Mike Hanson, the county extension agent with the K-State Research and Extension office, there are Masters Gardeners in the community who are available to help educate aspiring gardeners through workshops and classes. If you have more in-depth gardening questions, they will come out and help you. Contact the extension office and they will connect you with a Master Gardener. In addition, staff at the extension office can assist you in accessing needed materials online.

As always, for the latest library programming (for instance the month's Library and Lunch and Book and Movie Series selections) take a peek at the library website or grab a newsletter from the circulation desk. Stay tuned and connected through our social media pages. If you have any questions or suggestions about books or programs don't hesitate to ask. Hope to see you at the library this spring!