March 2024 Gardening To-Do List: A Guide to Spring Prep
March marks the beginning of a new gardening season, full of potential and growth. To help you make the most of this transitional period, we've compiled a comprehensive to-do list tailored specifically for March gardening tasks. Stay tuned each month for an updated list!
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1. Plant Cool-Season Beauties
March is the perfect time to start planting cool-season plants that thrive in the lingering chill of early spring. Consider adding the following varieties to your garden:
- Hellebores: Also known as Lenten roses, these early bloomers offer delicate, nodding flowers in shades of white, pink, purple, and green.
- Pansies: With their cheerful faces and vibrant colors, pansies are a staple of spring gardens, providing a pop of color after the winter months.
- Primroses: These dainty flowers come in a rainbow of hues and are prized for their ability to brighten shady spots in the garden.
- Perennial Violas: Similar to pansies but smaller in size, perennial violas add charm to borders, containers, and rock gardens.
- Forced Spring Bulbs in Pots: Bring the beauty of spring indoors by potting up forced bulbs such as tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths for early blooms.
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2. Pot Up Summer-Flowering Bulbs for an Early Start
Get a head start on summer by potting up bulbs such as dahlias, lilies, and gladiolus. By starting them indoors now, you'll ensure a longer blooming season once the warmer weather arrives.
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3. Warning of Upcoming Problems
Stay ahead of potential garden pests and problems by taking proactive measures:
- Ficaria Verna and Wild Onion: Combat invasive plants like Ficaria verna (formerly known as Ranunculus ficaria) and wild onion using products like Bonide Sedge Ender.
- Animal Pests: Keep pesky rabbits at bay with deterrents such as Plantskydd and Bonide Repels-All.
- Insects to Prevent: Guard against common garden pests like boxwood leaf miner, viburnum leaf beetle, and euonymus scale with insecticides like Bio-Advanced 12-Month Tree & Shrub Systemic Insecticide and Bonide Annual Tree & Shrub Insect Control.
4. Addressing the Biggest Question: How to Fix Your Lawn
Give your lawn some TLC by following these steps:
- Pre-Emergent Weed Control: Apply pre-emergent weed control as early as April 15 to prevent pesky weeds from taking over.
- Fertilize and Seed: Use products like Scotts Step One for Seeding or Scotts Turfbuilder TripleAction for Seeding to fertilize and prepare your lawn for seed application.
- Summer Fertilization: Mark your calendar for May 31 to June 15 to apply summer fertilizer such as Espoma to keep your lawn lush and healthy.
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5. Early Season Weed Prevention
Stay vigilant against early-season weeds like Ficaria nevus by seeking advice from professionals at the Chalet Diagnostic Desk.
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6. Seed Starting
Start warm-season crops like tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants indoors around March 15 to give them a head start before transplanting them outdoors.
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8. Spring Clean Up
Clear out debris and prepare your garden beds for new growth:
- Mulch Options: Consider using mulches such as Chalet leaf mulch, compost, cotton burr mulch, or bark mulches to retain moisture and deter weeds.
- Perennial Bed Clean-Up: Trim back dead foliage and tidy up perennial beds to encourage healthy growth. But be sure to wait for temperatures to go above 50 in order to protect hibernating pollinators.
- Bed Preparation for Vegetables & Annuals - Prepare your garden beds for planting by incorporating products like mulch and Preen to suppress weeds and enrich the soil.
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9. March Pruning
Follow best practices for pruning shrubs and trees:
- Best Tools: Invest in high-quality pruning tools and keep them sharp for clean cuts.
- Rule of 3: Understand when to prune spring bloomers, summer bloomers, and evergreens for optimal growth and flowering.
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March is a pivotal month in the gardening calendar, signaling the start of a new growing season filled with possibilities. By following this comprehensive to-do list, you'll set yourself up for a successful and beautiful garden throughout the year. Happy gardening!
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Jennifer Brennan
Horticulture Information Specialist, advising and coaching gardeners at Chalet for over 30 years.