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 March,
has somewhat fickle weather, making it impossible to set dates and schedules for
planting, so proceed with caution!
March is the month when many of the beautiful spring
flowering perennials begin to flower. Aubrietia, Candytuft, Rock Cress,
Bergenia, Snowdrops, Witch-hazel and many others will be brightening your days.
With spring just around the corner, it is time to get serious and get the garden
ready. Prepare the soil for planting as long as it is workable and get a
soil test.
Indoor Plants
Lawns and Landscaping
Perennials, Annuals and Bulbs
Trees, Shrubs and Groundcovers
Miscellaneous
Tools and Equipment
Indoor Plants
 | Wait until the weather warms to start putting
houseplants outside. |
| Repot houseplants that have grown too large for
their containers. Cut back leggy plants to encourage compact growth.
Root the cuttings in moist media to increase your supply of plants. |
| Houseplants can be watered more frequently with
the onset of spring and new growth. |
| Start fertilizing houseplants now for good
growth. Any that are root bound should be repotted. |
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Lawns and Landscaping
| Early spring is the right time for two special
turf treatments, if needed: vertical cutting or thinning to remove thatch and
aerification or coring to reduce soil compaction. Special equipment is
available for each operation. Consult a lawn-care specialist, or rent
the equipment and do it yourself. |
| Reposition stepping stones that have heaved or
sunk below grass level. Lift them up, spread sand in the low areas, and
replace the rocks. A bed of sand under the stones will aid drainage and
decrease heaving next year. |
| When a blanket of snow insulates the lawn,
temperatures at ground level may rise to above freezing. Snow mold fungi
(a white, cottony growth on grass blades) thrives at temperatures between 32
and 65 degrees F. To reduce possible snow mold damage, remove heavy snow
accumulations in shady areas. If you cannot physically remove the snow,
spread ashes or dry peat moss on the snow. The dark-colored material
will absorb solar radiation and melt the snow faster. |
| Apply a pre-emergent herbicide before lawn weeds
get started. These chemicals work by preventing the seed from
germinating. Therefore, it is important that the herbicides be applied
in early spring, before growth of the weed seedlings. Check with the
Extension office agent for specific recommendations. |
| Use crabgrass killer before forsythia blooms
fade. |
| Variegated plants can help add the illusion of
light to a dark area. Shade-loving ground covers, such as variegated
liriope, ivies, euonymous and hosta, can be very effective for this. |
| Shrubs and trees in home landscape break up
sound waves of modern society. Plant some new shrubs and trees this
spring to improve the beauty and ambience of your home. |
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Perennials, Annuals and Bulbs
| Bluebells are superb for naturalizing in the same manner as daffodils, but
prefer a shadier location, and will bloom even where they get no direct sun at
all. |
| Impatiens, one of the best annuals for shady spots, start blooming three
months from seeding. Start seeds indoors now, and they'll be ready to
set out after the last frost date (avg. for this area 4/10-4/21). Pinch
back seedlings once or twice before setting out to promote compact, bushy
plants. |
| If weeds occur in bulb beds, do not remove them by cultivation. Pull
them by hand so the bulbs and roots will not be disturbed. |
| Some annuals, such as verbenas, snapdragons and petunias, take 70 to 90
days to bloom. They should be started indoors in early spring or
purchased as greenhouse-grown transplants. |
| Rejuvenate your liriope by using a lawn mower to cut back the old foliage
to a height of 2 to 3 inches. Avoid mowing too close and damaging the
crown of the plant since that is where the new growth emerges. |
| Hostas, liriope, daylilies, dicentra, Shasta daisies and coral bells are
some perennials that can be divided and transplanted before growth starts in
spring. |
| Don't forget to fertilize naturalized bulbs in the spring as leaves
emerge. Do not mow the area until the bulb foliage begins to die back. |
| When buying transplants, choose those plants with a compact, bushy form
and bright-green leaves. Young, healthy plants with no flowers or flower
buds will adapt more easily and overcome the shock of planting much faster. |
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Trees, Shrubs and Groundcovers
| A good rule of thumb for planting rhododendrons
is: the smaller the leaf (i.e., R. carolinianum, R. laetivirens), the
more tolerant it is of winter sunlight. Large-leaved rhododendrons, such
as R. catawbiense or R. maximum, have more winter injury when
planted in bright locations. |
| When transplanting a young shade tree, it may
help to orient the tree in its new location the same way it was in its old
home. This will prevent previously shaded bark from suddenly being
exposed to afternoon sun and causing injury. When not possible or
desirable, or if the original orientation is unknown, wrap the trunk in tree
tape or coat the sunny sides with white, exterior, latex paint for one growing
season. |
| Some nurseries are still using that brown
plastic material that looks and feels like natural burlap. This material
will not break down in the soil and should be completely removed before transplant
a shrub or tree. |
| If you are buying bare-root trees, look for ones
with a large root system in relation to the top growth. It is not
necessary to purchase a very large tree to get a quality plant. |
| Once new growth begins on trees and shrubs, cut
back winter-killed twigs to living, green wood. |
| For more compact pyracanthas without the risk of
losing berries, pinch back new growth now. |
| Prune evergreen shrubs before growth starts. |
| Prune spring-flowering shrubs after flowering is
completed. |
| Boxwood should be pruned by thinning the outer
foliage of the plant and cutting back the branches to retain desired height. |
| Plant roses and bare-root shrubs while they are
still dormant, about 4 weeks before the average date of the last frost. |
| Hedges can receive their first pruning this
month. As you prune, be sure to leave the base of the plant wider than
the top. This allows sunlight to get to the bottom of the plant,
creating a full, dense hedge. |
| Dogwoods and magnolias should only be moved in
early spring. Always move magnolias with ball of dirt. |
| Propagate deciduous shrubs, such as forsythia
and winter jasmine, now by ground layering. |
| Pruning should never be done in damp or wet
weather when the fungal spores and bacteria that infect plants through fresh
wounds spread easily. |
| Trees that bleed, such as birch and maple,
should not be pruned until their leaves are fully developed. |
| Fertilize established roses after pruning.
It is wise to have your soil tested about every 2 years. If black spot
or powdery mildew has been a problem, contact the Extension office for
recommended fungicides. |
| When pruning or cutting roses, cut all flower
stems 1/4 inch above a complete (5 leaflet) leaf, leaving two complete leaves
below the cut bud. Always use sharp, pruning shears and cut on a slant. |
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Miscellaneous
| Containers from the kitchen can be recycled for
starting seeds. Aluminum trays from frozen food just need a few holes to
provide drainage. Other possibilities are cottage cheese containers,
milk or ice cream cartons, Styrofoam egg cartons, or paper cups. All
should have drainage holes. |
| Make your own potting mix for outdoor containers
with one part rich productive garden soil, 1 part leaf mold or compost, and 1
part builders sand or perlite. Add 1 tablespoon dry, 5-10-5 fertilizer
and 1 tablespoon dolomitic lime per gallon of mixture. |
| Don't buy more chemicals than you can use in a
season—the smaller the bottle, the better. If you overbought in the past
and have aged, garden chemicals you no longer use, dispose of them according
to local regulations. Do not pour them down the drain or onto the ground
as this can pollute the water systems, damage the soil and possibly injure or
kill plants, people and animals that come in contact with the chemicals. |
| In your flower arrangements, avoid mixing cut
daffodils with tulips. Daffodils produce a chemical "slime" that injures
tulip blooms. If you wish to use the two in an arrangement, place the
daffodils in another container for a day after cutting, then rinse off the
stems and add to the vase of tulips. Adding 1 tablespoon of activated
charcoal or 6 drops of bleach to each quart of water also helps. |
| Mulches can change the soil temperature.
Black plastic warms the soil and should be applied before planting.
Organic materials delay the sun's penetration thereby keeping the soil cooler.
Apply organic mulches after plants are 3 to 4 inches tall and the soil is
warm. |
| Cover old stumps with soil to hasten decay. |
| Place bird houses outdoors early this month.
Birds will begin looking for nesting sites soon, and the houses should attract
several mating pairs. |
| Don't overexert those under worked, winter
muscles as you begin your spring gardening. Bend at the knees and lift
with your legs, not your back. |
| When setting out transplants in peat pots, be
careful not to allow the rim of the pot to protrude above the soil level.
It will act as a wick and draw moisture up from the plant. Break away
the upper rim of the pot before planting, and make sure none of the peat shows
above the soil. |
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Tools and Equipment
| Protect yourself and the blade of your pruning
saw during storage. Make a cover for it using a piece of old garden hose
the same length as the blade. Cut the hose lengthwise on one side, and
place it over the saw blade. |
| Ice cream scoops are great for digging holes for
transplants; the dirt slides off easily. |
| If you haven't done it already, check stored
tools and outdoor furniture for signs of rust. Remove any surface rust
with steel wool, and paint with rust-inhibitive paint. |
| If your tiller turns over sluggishly in spring,
before trying to start it, move it to a sunny location and cover it with a
black plastic garbage bag for half an hour. A few minutes of solar
heating will warm up the fluids and make starting easier. |
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"The
gardening season officially begins on January 1st, and ends on December 31."
