Horticulturalist Melinda Myers offers tips and suggestions for each month of the year.
March can be a mix of spring and winter weather that can be as hard on our plants as it is on us. Winter protection applied last fall helps plants through the harsh periods as well as the changeable spring weather. Start removing winter protection when temperatures begin hovering above freezing for about a week or new growth appears. Don’t leave winter coverings on too long or the covered plants will develop spindly growth and will be a greater risk for disease.
Check unmulched gardens for signs of frost heaving. Replant any perennials that were pushed out of the soil.
Check plums, cherries and other stone fruits for black knot fungal disease. Prune out the old black knots (black, lumpy growths) and the new (swollen stems), less visible knots. Make cuts 6-8 inches below the knots disinfecting pruners between each cut to avoid spreading disease. Complete by April 1st to prevent the release of spores and reduce future infections.
It’s time to get busy cleaning up the garden. Use hand pruners to cut back perennials and sun-shrubs like Russian sage and butterfly bush. Break out the loppers for those larger and harder to reach stems. Use an electric hedge shear or weed whip, with a rigid plastic blade for mass plantings of perennials and grasses. Compost all pest- and herbicide-free materials.
Prune summer and fall blooming shrubs now until growth begins. Late winter/early spring pruning will not interfere with summer flowering and allows the plants to recover quickly.
Continue winter pruning and thinning raspberries if this has not been done.
Wait until the weather has warmed and winter protection is removed before pruning roses. Remove any damaged branches when they are found.
Time to start pruning vines and groundcovers.
Prune Russian sage and butterfly bush back to 4 to 6 inches above the soil. Both plants (often classified as subshrubs) usually die back in winter. Use a lopper or hand pruners to cut stems above an outward facing bud.
Fertilize hardy bulbs once the ground thaws through April to increase their vigor and if you did not fertilize in the fall. For best results, apply a low-nitrogen, slow-release fertilizer to bulbs as they begin to sprout outdoors.
Late winter through early spring is the best time to transplant trees and shrubs. Start planting when the ground thaws and soil is moist.
Get busy sowing parsley, broccoli, eggplant and lettuce seeds indoors. Always start with clean containers and a sterile seed starting mix. Check the seed package for planting recommendations.
Get out the rake and start work as soon as the snow and ice melt. Use a leaf rake to fluff and dry the grass, reducing the risk of snow mold. Never work on frozen or waterlogged soils.
Oriental, Asiatic, and Easter lilies are a spring tradition indoors. Keep your lilies looking healthy by placing them in a cool, bright location in your home. Avoid heat ducts and warm rooms. Keep the soil moist, but not wet and make sure that the water does not collect in the saucer, decorative pot or basket.
