March weather can range from 80ºF and sunny in Miami to 10ºF and snowy in Minnesota. Because of this variation, gardeners across the country use the Zone Map as a tool when preparing and planting the garden.
We have assembled a garden calendar for March through May divided by region to serve you in the garden and ensure the success in the outdoors.
Use the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map.
•Plants: Cut perennials and ornamental grasses to the ground. Trim fall-blooming clematis to 12 inches. Remove mulch from perennial crowns.
•Lawn: Take time to tune up your mower. Sharpen the blade; replace the spark plug, air filter, and oil.
•Landscape: Inspect patios and pathways, and reposition stones if frost has caused them to rise. Check trellises, garden art, and decks, making repairs as needed.
•Perennials: Dig and divide summer- and fall-blooming perennials. Mulch beds to reduce water needs.
•Grass: Feed cool-season lawns with a slow-release fertilizer. Sharpen the mower blade, and set it to remove no more than one-third the total grass height in one cutting.
•Veggies: Sow cool-season vegetables, including lettuce, radish, and greens. Set out transplants of broccoli and cauliflower.
•Insects: Treat aphid outbreaks with insecticidal soap or horticultural oil. For smaller infestations, a blast of water removes feeding aphids.
•Plantings: Choose annuals that flower all summer, such as angelonia, zinnia, pentas, and trailing petunia. When frost is no longer a threat, plant canna and calla lily outdoors.
•Edibles: Set out warm-season transplants of tomato, okra, and pepper. Sow cucumber, bean, and melon seeds.
•Grass: Sharpen your mower blade. Mow when grass shows signs of growth. Apply a slow-release fertilizer to lawns. Dethatch and aerate warm-season turf.
•Plants: Prune woody plants. Remove damaged branches and those growing toward the center of the plant.
•Bloomers: Fertilize plants with a granular, high-nitrogen product. Don't fertilize azaleas and rhododendrons until after they bloom. Cut clematis back to the strongest stems.
•Tropicals: Set plants outside when night temperatures reach above 50ºF. Place plants in shade, and water well. Fertilize two weeks later.
•Shrubs: Prune spring-flowering shrubs, such as azalea and gardenia, after they bloom. Feed with an acidic fertilizer after flowering.
•Bulbs: Allow spring foilage to ripen naturally before removing. Mark bulb groupings that didn't flower well, and plan to dig and divide them in fall.
•Roses: Prune climbing roses after flowering, cutting stems to 4 or 5 feet. Tie canes as they grow, wrapping them around supports.
•Annuals: Plant colorful annuals, such as sun-loving coleus, Mexican bush sage, lantana, Persian shield, and cat's whiskers.
•Tubers: Plant caladium and calla lily tubers. Mix organic matter and a slow-release fertilizer into beds for optimal growth.
•Veggies: Set out warm-season transplants of tomato, okra, eggplant, and pepper. Sow cucumber, bean, melon, and Southern pea seeds.
•Turf: Sharpen your mower blade monthly. Apply a complete lawn fertilizer to warm-season grasses.
•Trees: Fertilize citrus trees with a citrus fertilizer, such as 8-2-8. Scatter the product under each tree (all the way to the dripline) and water well. Prune to remove suckers.
•Trees: Inspect and prune trees before hurricane season, removing branches that overhang roofs or show signs of disease.
•Water: Check your turf irrigation system, making repairs as needed. Set it to deliver about 3/4 inch of water every three to four days.
•Roses: Irrigate roses in the morning without splashing water onto the leaves. Apply a fungicide at the first sign of black spot or powdery mildew.
•Lawns: Repair bald spots. Use plugs to mend St. Augustine lawns. Seed spots in Bahia lawns, keeping the soil moist until seeds sprout.
•Palms: Plant them when the soil's temperature is above 75ºF. Use twine to tie fronds up over the buds for protection. When new growth emerges, you can snip the twine.
•Beauty: Design a garden that attracts butterflies. Use lantana, red bird of paradise, hibiscus, pentas, or firebush.
Printed From:
http://www.myhomeideas.com/outdoor-living/gardening/spring-garden-calendar-10000001881731/
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