March Gardening Guide

     March Garden Guide

• Plant tuberous rooted begonias indoors early in the month.
• Begin regular fertilization of houseplants.
• March is a good month to make cuttings of many houseplants.Order perennial plants and specify that they be delivered when the ground is workable.                                                       
• Start seeds of slow-growing annuals. Transfer them as appropriate in April to cold frame.
• Start bulbs of calla. They will bloom from June to August.
• Start seedlings of cabbage, celery, cauliflower, head lettuce, and parsley.
• Keep amaryllis foliage growing by watering and feeding.
• Continue to inspect stored vegetables. Anything showing signs of spoilage should be removed immediately and either used or discarded.
• Don’t worry if spring-flowering bulbs are sending up green leaves. The foliage can withstand winter weather.
• March is the leanest month for wildlife, so protect shrubs and plants with wire cages or sprinkle ground with cat hair or blood meal.
• Do not remove mulch from perennials too early. Keep light covering of mulch over spring bulbs.
• Rake off last season’s mulches on garden soil so it can dry and be warmed by the sun. Remove any plant residue left from last year.
• If the compost pile froze during winter, turn it now, and add fresh manure to help restart the composting process.
• Finish pruning dormant trees.
• Sharpen lawn mower blades and have mower serviced before spring rush.
• If you fertilize, apply to shade trees, fruit trees and shrubs when buds swell, as well as to evergreens and raspberries.
• Prune summer flowering (after end of June) shrubs.
• Finish pruning grapes. Non-dormant pruning will cause excessive bleeding.
• Finish dormant pruning of fruit trees and berry bushes. Remove diseased or infected branches.
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