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March Garden Guide
March Garden Guide
- Plant tuberous rooted begonias indoors early month
- Begin regular fertilization of houseplants
- March is a good month to make cuttings of many houseplants.
- Order perennial plants and specify that they are to 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, culiflower, 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 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.
Article taken from the Portage County Master Gardeners newsletter.