The busy month of March

The Busy Month of March...

Shrubs and trees

In most areas it is still possible to do dormant spraying of fruit trees until the 15th of March, after that date dilute the spray by 1/2. Spraying should be done on a still day with the temperature above 40 degrees F.
Late March and early April is a good time to transplant shrubs and trees. As soon as the soil is workable, but before buds have swelled or broken open, you can move shrubs and trees.
Fertilize shrubs and trees if this wasn't done in February. Use an acid type rhododendron fertilizer to feed evergreens, conifers, broad leaf evergreens, rhododendrons, azaleas and camellias. Use an all-purpose fertilizer to feed roses and other deciduous trees and shrubs. If you use granular type fertilizers, be sure to water it in thoroughly.

Perennials, annuals, and bulbs

There is often a strong temptation to start removing winter mulches from your flower beds.... WAIT!!! Pull the mulch off gradually as the plants show signs of new growth. The purpose of winter mulch is to act as a protector from sudden changes of temperature and chilling winds, so keep in mind that it is still winter. Acclimatize your plants by removing the mulch over a period of days, allowing the light and air to reach the new growth slowly. It is much better to remove the mulch a little later than to remove it to early.
Roses can be pruned this month. See the pruning roses page details on how to prune the various types of roses. Severe pruning results in nicer long stemmed flowers and more compact bushes. Begin to spray roses for blackspot.
Feed roses.
Sow seeds of summer blooming annuals indoors.
Seeds which were started indoors last month may be transplanted from the flats into peat pots and given dilute fertilizer.
If you have a greenhouse, it is time to take cuttings of 'wintered over' plants such as Coleus, Chrysanthemums, Geraniums, and other perennials.
Alternating thawing and freezing can tear plant roots and even force the plant right out of it's hole. If you notice any plants that have heaved, push them back into the earth, and tamp lightly with your foot.
Divide and transplant summer blooming perennials and fertilize established ones as soon as new growth appears.
Plant tender bulbs and tubers (gladiola, lilies and dahlias). You may continue planting additional bulbs every two weeks until mid June to ensure a continuous source of bloom.
Prune winter Jasmine after flowering; cut honeysuckle back to 3ft.
Cut back established penstemons. Divide snowdrops while in leaf.
Remove all dead blooms from bulbs.
Fertilize any bulbs that have finished blooming with bone meal or bulb booster.
Plant Primroses and Pansies
Pinch off tips of Sweet Pea seedlings and Mums, when they are 4 inches tall.

Fruits and veggies

Take a little time to prepare the vegetable garden soil for planting. The addition of well-rotted manure, processed manure, peat moss or compost are good additives for building compost humus in the soil.
Peas and sweet peas may be planted right now as well as perennial vegetables like Asparagus, Rhubarb, Horseradish and artichokes.
Eggplant, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, celery, leeks, onions, early potatoes, and radish seeds may be planted in the garden about mid month.
Spinach, Chard, Cabbage, Cauliflower, and other hardy vegetables can be seeded or set out late in the month.
Plant Strawberries, Blueberries, Currants, Loganberries, Boysenberries, Grapes and fruit trees.
Add some steer manure around your Rhubarb.
Time to start tomatoes, lettuce, and many other vegetables from seed.

House Plants

House plants will react to longer days and brighter light at this time by putting out new growth. The end of this month is a good time to pinch them back to generate new growth and to thicken them. You can then begin fertilizing again with a dilute solution of soluble house plant food.
Turn your houseplants a quarter turn each week to make sure all sides of the plant receive adequate light, and to keep the shape of the plant balanced.
Mist or spray your houseplants to clean away the winters dust, prevent Spider Mites and add a little humidity.
Remain vigilante in watching for insects and pests. It is much easier to win a 'bug war' if you are aware of the infestation in it's early stages.

Odds and ends

The most dreaded tasks of all is weeding, but it is one that really needs to be accomplished before the weeds have a chance to flower and go to seed. Remember once the weeds go to seed you can be fighting that weed seed for up to seven years or more. Most weeds can simply be pulled or cultivated out of the garden while they are young.
Turn the compost pile, adding any course mulch which was removed from the garden to it.
Keep an eye out for Aphids (spray off with water) and Cutworms (Cutworm Dust).
Repair damaged areas of the lawn.... Dethatch, rake or aerate. Apply Dolomite Lime to sweeten the soil if needed. Most lawns will need a spring feeding but if thatching or liming needs to be done, do those jobs first.. If moss is a problem, a combination fertilizer and moss killer can be applied, to do both jobs in one easy application. Over-seeding can be done as the last step, after the lawn has been fertilized.
Test your soil for pH to see if any amendments are necessary. A general rule of thumb is to add 4 lbs. of lime per 100 sq. ft. of garden for every pH point below 6.5, or 1 lb. of sulfur per 100 sq. ft. for every pH point above 7.5. Sawdust, composted oak leaves, wood chips, peat moss, cottonseed meal, and leaf mold lower the pH while ashes of hardwoods, bone meal, crushed marble, and crushed oyster shells raise the pH. The best way to adjust pH is gradually, over several seasons.
March is a good time to note areas of poor drainage. If there are pools of water in your yard that do not drain. Fill in the low spot or scoop out a channel for the water to drain away.
Clean out all of your birdhouses now, so that they will be ready when the birds return.
Repair any fencing, arbors, or trellis work that is weak or has broken over the winter ... before you get too busy!
Check the plants under the eaves of the house and under tall evergreens to see that they have sufficient moisture.
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If you haven't done so, prune Roses. Prune 1/3 of the cane on climbers, prune hybrid teas to 18", then fertilize with Rose Food.

*Prune Camellias after blooming is complete, then feed them with Azalea, Camellia Food

*Plant Strawberries and enjoy all spring!

*Fertilize Fescue for the first with Lawn Fertilizer.

*Check Gardenias for whiteflies. Use insecticidal soap to control.

*Fertilize spring bulbs with one pound of bulb food per 100 sq. feet of bed.

*Cut back Butterfly Bushes to 1/3 the size you want them to become this summer.

*Buy summer bulbs like Gladiola, Cannas, Iris, Dahlias, and Lillies. Wait until April to plant.

*Spray Poison Ivy and Kudzu vines with Roundup when new leaves appear.

More March Garden to Do's ...

Plant your cool-season veggies such as lettuce, carrots, turnips, spinach and radishes.

Growing annuals from seeds usually offers the largest varieties for gardeners. Now is a good time to start up the seed trays indoors.

Trees and shrubs that are beginning to stir will benefit from an application of time-release fertilizer now.

Do mild stretching exercises daily to tone up winter-weary muscles for the pushing, pulling, reaching, grabbing, bending and digging to come.

As new leaves start to appear on roses, begin regular fungicide applications to prevent rust, black spot and powdery mildew.

Want to try an Earth-friendly fungicide on your roses? Mix a tablespoon of baking soda and a drop or two of liquid detergent into a gallon of water. This should be sprayed on foliage regularly throughout the growing season.

Many summer-bloomers such as althea, crape myrtle, oleander, buddleia, pomegranate and vitex flower on new wood, so prune early this month to encourage more blooms.

Early-blooming shrubs such as spirea, forsythia and flowering quince are best pruned after their flowers fade.

New plants and fresh foliage attract old enemies. Watch for aphids attacking the developing leaves, and cutworms cutting down young annuals as they emerge from the ground.

If your Camellia japonica specimens are still lighting up the landscape, rake up the spent flowers weekly and dispose of them to prevent camellia petal blight.

Migrating birds will soon be returning, so clean old nests out of birdhouses, wash the birdbath and remove old seed from feeders.

How late can you plant in Zone 7

As long as the plants are fully hardy for your zone and your soil is not frozen, you can plant at ANY time during the winter months. While it doesn't get quite as cold in winter as zone 8, I have still installed a complete landscape in mid-December, just hours before the temps plummeted to the teens and stayed there for a week. Never lost a plant.