March flower and tree planting tips: for zones 5-7

The sun is shining and the snow is starting to melt, Winter is still here but Spring is pushing through and it feels so good.  Has anyone else caught the planting/gardening bug?  Well, thanks to Moss Greenhouses Inc. and Weekend Gardener I have a couple of tips that I'd like to share:

Trees, finding your roots:


If you are looking at buying and planting a tree this month here's a good tip...
          -look for trees with large roots. It is best to have the root system larger than the top tree growth itself.
          - Dig a hole 2 to 5 times wider than the root ball. Remove any grass or weeds within a 6' diameter circle around the tree. Build a ring 6-8" in height around the tree to create a watering saucer.  Cover with 3-4" mulch, either store bought or made with bark, wood chips, compost, pine needles, etc. etc.


Flowers, Perennials - divide and conquer:

Now is the perfect time to divide those perennials that bloom in the late Summer through Fall, such as...
          -agapanthus, garden phlox astilbe, aster, bleeding heart, coral bells, daylilies, and shasta daisies.


Flowers, Annuals

No garden would be complete without annuals and it's a great time to plant your bursts of color along borders, in planters and in your rock gardens with beautiful annuals such as...
          
-forget-me-nots, dianthus, English daisy, sweet William, and violas.