The mulched parsnips are still under a foot of snow, and getting to the garden shed is still quite impossible without snow shoes.

Yes, spring began officially on Friday, but we all know that it doesn’t really arrive here in Maine for about a month or so.

Regardless, visions of this year’s garden are uppermost in my mind.

The grow rack with the florescent lights is set up, and the potting soil and peat pots are ready to begin planting seeds for what I hope will be spectacular crops of tomatoes, parsley, basil and other vegetables and herbs.

Welcome to the first and most likely the most optimistic Magical Earth column of the season.

All the potential problems are ahead, but for right now, we can dream of weed-free rows and beds, and wonderfully abundant cucumbers and squash, beans and corn, tomatoes and potatoes, and whatever else we plan to plant.

It is in March that we let our minds visualize all the vegetables, herbs and flowers that we hope will grow bountifully.

As if the long winter isn’t enough to encourage those visions, we’ve been inundated with seed catalogs for several months. Meanwhile, all the farmers union and gardening stores are bursting with seeds, potting soil, soil enhancers, potting containers, gardening tools and virtually anything else we may want. The seedlings will arrive in a month or so.

A plotted gardening plan on graph paper has been drawn, a list of new varieties to try has been compiled and new methods for growing some vegetables and flowers considered.

This year, the fad is hay or straw bale planting. I will try planting a couple of bales with vegetables, just to see how they do. As the season’s columns progress, I’ll report on how successful — or not — they might be.

The rest of the garden will be planted in beds, large containers and the traditional rows, along with several separate patches created just for pumpkins, winter squash or three sisters plantings (corn, pole beans and pumpkins).

March is also the month for starting our seeds. The first step in that process is to inventory all the seeds we have leftover from last year and to order those we need from a trusted catalog (I use Johnny’s and Pine Tree, which are both in-state seed companies) or visit a favorite farmers union or other gardening store.

Most seeds can be used for two or three years. Some for longer. If you have any doubt, plant the seeds a little thicker than normally recommended. Or plant some older seeds and some new ones.

Here are a few things to think about or do during March:

* Start those seedlings!

— Option 1: Plant two or three seeds in a peat pot filled with soil about 1/8 inch deep. Thoroughly moisten and keep moist, though not sopping wet, until the seed germinates. Place pots on large, plastic trays, then set on the bottom section of a grow rack. Adjust lights so they are only a few inches from the tops of the pots. As the seedlings grow, raise the lights to provide sufficient space for them. Seedlings should have about 14 hours of light per day. When two or three true leaves appear, keep the strongest one and pluck out the others. (This is something I hate to do, but I know that a strong seedling needs nutrients and space to thrive.)

— Option 2: If you plan to plant just a few pots, the windowsill is fine. Again, keep the pots moist. And also important: Remember to turn the pots a quarter turn four times a day so the emerging seedlings won’t get leggy or lean just to one side.

— Option 3: Plant seeds in a larger container filled with soil, such as a 12-inch-by-12-inch plastic dish without drainage. Thoroughly water the seeds and soil, then wrap securely in plastic wrap and place atop your refrigerator or some other warm place. Do not “peek” or open the plastic wrap around the container. In a few days, seedlings will emerge. (This method was my first try at starting seeds at home). Once they have broken through the soil and grown an inch or two, transfer the seedlings and plenty of soil to individual pots.

* If growing a luxuriant patch of asparagus is something you want to try this year, consider planting the roots in their own patch in early May. Do not harvest the first crop that grows. Asparagus generally need two years to produce a few meals, and longer if you want to grow enough to preserve.

* Check out your gardening tools. Clean them if this was not done when the garden was put to bed in the fall. Look for sales on tools you may need. The cheapest are not the best choice. If they last one season, you are lucky. Choose tools that are solid and of good quality. The higher cost will be well worth it, lasting for many years. I am still using some that my parents used many, many years ago.

* Seek out others who are gardening this year. Talking with others provides a chance to discuss what works and what doesn’t, what problems may lie ahead and what successes may also lie ahead. Plus, I get great joy from sharing my enthusiasm with others.

* Decide now if more garden beds are needed. That way, they can be built before it’s time to start planting.

But above all, think positive, dream big and think of all the local produce you will be growing for your family. It doesn’t get any more local than from your backyard.

Eileen Adams lives in Wilton and has been gardening for decades. Every year is exciting and every year she still is amazed that a tiny seed can grow into a marvelous vegetable. She may be reached at [email protected]