The most frequent question has to do with leggy seedlings you want to save. Something happened -- no matter the cause -- and seedlings grew way too tall and spindly. Is there anything that can be done to save them and justify the time spent growing them?

For starters, make sure whatever condition caused the problem isn't a continuing one. If it is, nothing I suggest is going to help. Light needs to be good light. An unobstructed, south-facing window, give or take 45 degrees, is a must. If you are using supplemental lights, they should be as close to the seedlings as possible without burning them. Remember, even fluorescents give off heat. Six to 12 inches usually makes sense. Finally, once seeds germinate, they should be grown cool, meaning a temperature of 50 or 55 at night and not much higher than 70 during the day.

OK, you corrected your growing conditions -- now what? It depends on the plants. If the seedling stems are square-shaped and/or the first set of leaves developed exactly opposite each other on the stem, you may be able to bring things into control by pinching out the newest set of leaves or growing tip above the first or second set of true leaves. The plant should respond by developing two new growing tips and bushing out.

Some plants, particularly those with "hairy" stems, such as tomatoes, can be buried deeper in the soil to approximate their normal height. They then develop roots along the buried stem. In fact, this is something worth trying with any seedling because depending on the age, even some non-hairy-stemmed plants will continue to grow when buried deeper. If you try this technique, be aware that the root zone is now lower and you may want to water from the bottom to reach it without soaking the buried stem area as you would watering from the top.

Next, there seems to be confusion about transplanting seedlings. Many new growers think you only need to transplant once -- into the ground. In fact, many seedlings will need transplanting into larger containers. Generally, this is necessary whenever you see lots of root tips coming out of drainage holes. (Herein lies the rub when it comes to planting that entire packet of old-fashioned dahlia seeds or all those sensation-mix cosmos.) If plants become root-bound in their containers, they usually don't do well. In addition to depleting soil nutrients, growing tips have no place to grow. The results are stunted plants, later flowering, no flowering, loss of leaves, yellowing of leaves and other unwanted symptoms.

Do not touch roots and, if possible, don't disturb them as you transplant into larger growing containers. If roots are exposed, sprinkle on the appropriate kind of mycorrhizal fungi.

I was surprised so many people asked if sweet peas need staking when they're inside. They do once they get about 3 inches tall. This is particularly so if you grow yours in cell packs. They will start to vine on one another and become tangled. They are damaged when you take them apart. Besides, they grow better if given something on which to grow up. Old chopsticks work great.

Finally, is it time to take mulch off the gardens? Absolutely. If your mulch isn't fr
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