Most of our seeds need to have a six- to eight- week head start on this date, to be strong enough to be introduced to a summer in the Far North. Poor things. Pansies, for example, need about 10 weeks so if you have yet to get yours started you need to move on that right this very moment.

Those that live at the lower elevations can usually jump-start that Memorial Day date. It will depend, no doubt, on weather factors.

You will need to have your season extenders handy. These can be cloches (the clear plastic tunnels that work wonderfully to warm the soil and protect your plants from the wind), or a legitimate cold frame. I really love my cold frame, the Juwel 1000, made in Austria, of all places. It even has an automatic opener. I think I love it. I think I would love it more if I would figure out how to use it more efficiently than I did last year.

I lined it with biodegradable black paper that seems to help warm up the soil and certainly keeps the weeds at bay. Then I cut slits into it and planted lettuce seedlings. I also placed the flat of vegetable seedlings into it as a halfway house from the greenhouse to hardening off. That seemed to work just fine. But for the money I paid for it I need to do something more than that. We'll see.

Of course, you do not need to spend any money at all on a cold frame. Recycled windows seems to be the material of choice. There are plans to be had from the Cooperative Extension office, 1-800-478-5824, or from books at the library or, I am just sure, over the Internet. Good luck.

Those of you at the higher elevations, take heart, summer will come to you in such a rush and your garden will thrive and catch up to those at the lower elevations. Honestly. Your delphiniums will be more beautiful and last longer, as will your fuchsia (keep them out of the wind). Just because you are still buried under snow and wondering exactly why you chose to live there, you will be rewarded for all of the shoveling. Your perennial plants (the ones that come back year after year) will be nicely protected from the fickle freeze and thaw that can be so destructive at the lower elevations.

No matter what elevation you have chosen to call home, you need to get your gardens into raised beds. These warm the soil and dry it out sooner so it can be worked earlier in the season. There are those who think a raised bed dries out the soil too much, requiring too much watering. I have yet to see this actually happen. Soil that has been subjected to commercial fertilizer will have lost its structure, thus its ability to hold water. It will be powdery and lack earthworms. There is much to be said for the benefits of organic gardening, not having to water as often is one of them. The compost and manure that you have added will go a long way in retaining moisture as well as feeding the soil so the plant can use the nutrients to its advantage. The earth worms will thrive.

Back to preparing for the magic date. This is the year that I decided I did not need to order seeds from catalogs. The reasoning ran something like this: I need to move almost every perennial out there so I did not want to have anything (annuals and new perennials) in the way. I did not plant any bulbs either. Needless to say I am regretting this decision. The offerings in catalogs are so spectacular and so inspirational and I have missed my opportunity so completely that I am quite sorry. Rats and drat.

Take the venerable pansy. I love pansies. Deeply. Truly. And here is the Thompson and Morgan catalog offering pansies with these names: Raspberry Ice Cream, Flambe Red, Light Strawberry Sundae, Love Duet. Love Duet? I am missing out on Love Duet because I was being righteous in January? Fool. Believe me there is NO Love Duet locally available.

How about Sweet Peas? I thought, yesterday, "ah, Sweet Peas, what a lovely idea near the west gate. I'll just pick up some really cool Sweet Peas." Really cool? No. Absolutely not. Ordinary, yes. Cool, no.

Pansies need to be started right this very minute. Now. I haven't a moment to waste. Whatever am I going to do? Head north. Yes. I am packing John and Paris into the Subaru and heading as far as Anchorage if I need, to find the seeds of my dreams. I hope.

You will be in luck if you intend on starting your own tuberous begonias as they are locally available. These are so showy and so successful here in Homer that you really cannot be without at least one of them. I prefer the uprights in my window box that faces the street. Mix in some pansies (if I ever find any seed) and lobelia and you have a winning combination for the north side of your home. They are easy to start. Just take a shallow container, fill with RediEarth and nestle the tuber into the material, leaving the concave side exposed. Don't let this cup fill with water or you can rot the tuber. Keep moist and come spring you will have a show to beat all shows.

Note: Homer Garden Club proudly presents Propagation Techniques, a hands-on workshop with Wendy Anderson using scented geraniums and herbs. Sunday, March 28, 2 p.m. at the Homer City Hall council chambers.