Reader Tips for Simplifying Early Spring Chores

I prefer to top-dress my flower beds while my perennials are napping safely underground, but I often find myself doing this while the plants are up. That chore is made much easier with a 58-ounce cast-aluminum scoop. It’s small enough to maneuver among plants but holds enough compost, mulch, or—as shown here—composted wood chips to cover real estate quickly. Lastly, it leaves a hand free to hold plants aside while I’m applying the product.

—Jim McCaulley, Ringoes, New Jersey

When it came time to install support for the outrageous growth of tomatillos in my greenhouse, I realized that those volunteer sunflowers I didn’t have the heart to pull had grown thick, sturdy stems. I wove quarter-inch rope between them and—voilà!—instant supports. I’ll strategically take advantage of that bonus next year, but I’ll be sure to choose varieties that don’t threaten my greenhouse’s 10-foot ceiling.

—Jenny Noble, Horsefly, British Columbia

There is limited space in my garage for storing terra-cotta pots. I’ve had the unfortunate experience of stacking them in the fall and then having to break one to get them apart in the spring. Now I take old bubble-wrap envelopes and place them between pots as padding. The pots are easy to separate, and this gives that bubble wrap a second life.

—Lori Walsh, Rockford, Illinois

We are always excited when spring comes around and dormant plants such as peonies and lilies leap from the ground. Then it happens—winter has the last laugh in the form of a below-freezing cold snap. To protect plants already sprouted, I invert a plastic container of the appropriate size over the tender foliage and weigh it down with a rock so that wind or critters can’t displace the container. The pots are easily removed the