You know it’s almost spring when talk turns to lilies

winter The and flowers early of springlate occupy places in our hearts well out of proportion to their size. —Gertrude S. Wister

Q: I had good luck last year with both my Asiatic and Day lilies. Can I split them and can I fertilize? —Mary, Preston, Conn.

A: Asiatic lilies tend to have one stem. Day lilies are usually multistem and can be split in early spring. A handful of 5-10-10 will

suffice. Apply as soon as you can to the soil surface of each plant after splitting.

Q: What kind of lime can be applied this spring to my lawn? —Gary,Lewisburg, W. Va.

A: As soon as the weather permits, you can apply 200 pounds per 10,000 square foot of hydrated lime. Limestone should only be applied in the fall. It takes a while to breakdown. Pelletized lime can be applied in the spring or fall. Because pelletized is slow release, it has more benefits and is continu- ally acting as an activator of key elements in the soil. Do not apply fertilizer within 10 days of the hydrated lime application.

You may lose some nitrogen as gas in the air.

Q: We are having a great deal of flooding in Northern California from snow melt and rains. Could a major project of planting trees and other plants help stem the erosion? —David, San Francisco

A: This may be workable on government owned land. Private enterprise is often too segmented to have a concerted effort. We can look to improving our environment as a nation. As a leader among other nations we can discourage particles like carbon from ever getting into the air. Large storms are becoming more prevalent lately. Torrents of rain fall and strong winds will knock over the biggest and oldest of trees.

Q: My tomatoes are under lights and seem to be leggy. With the increase in amount of light each day, will this be enough? —Len, Norwich, Conn.

A: You need 15 to 16 hours per day for good stocky tomato plants. Be sure to use full spectrum lights. They are usually casting a pink light as opposed to blue (florescent) and red (incandescent).

In early may you can take the tray of tomato plants out in the air during day, if it is not below 45 degrees. This will harden them off for a transplant to the garden around May 15 in zone 6.

Mort White is a gardening expert whose columns run Saturday’s in The Times and The Call. Send questions@the magicgarden.com and visit themagicgarden.com/library, which has more than a thousand lawn and garden Q&A.