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March To Do List

Black pearl pepper

Plant: ornamental & wildlife

  • Annuals:  It’s a tricky month for annuals since we get hot days. But the soil is still cold and freezes could still arrive. Late: plant cosmos, sunflowers, morning glory, gomphrena but keep an eye on upcoming freezes. Avoid planting caladiums.
  • Wildflower transplants: early in month, you can still plant bluebonnet, larkspur, poppy and other transplants.
  • Perennials & vines
  • Ornamental (clumping) grasses like muhly and Mexican feather grass (late month)
  • Trees, shrubs, roses (as soon as possible before heat sets in)

Plant: herbs

  • Nasturtiums, chives, catnip, comfrey, fennel, horseradish, feverfew, oregano, thyme, rosemary, Mexican mint marigold, peppermint, lemongrass (after last freeze)

Plant: food crops

Prune

  • Roses (early)
  • Evergreen shrubs
  • Prune dormant perennials and ornamental (clumping) grasses.
  • Trees: DO NOT prune red oaks and live oaks unless damaged. Spray immediately with clear varnish.
  • No need to apply pruning paint to other trees
  • Avoid topping crape myrtles: simply remove sprouts or entire limbs at the trunk.

Divide/Move

  • Dormant perennials, roses, shrubs and trees. Still time, but don’t wait!

Fertilize

  • Citrus with high nitrogen fertilizer like Citrus-tone. Fertilize every few weeks through growing season.
  • Add compost to beds as you cut back dormant perennials. Fertilize with slow-release granular late in the month or as dormant perennials leaf out
  • Add compost around trees and fertilize. Be sure to dig out grass several feet from the trunk, ideally to the drip line of the tree canopy.
  • Watch for powdery mildew. Apply a natural fungicide like Serenade.

Lawn

  • Mow weeds before they set seed. Do not fertilize at this time except with compost!
  • Plant native Habiturf seeds after soil prep
  • Plant other turf late in month once freezes aren’t coming

Prep

  • Add compost to vegetable gardens along with organic fertilizer in prep for more summer crops
  • Soil test

Other tasks

  • Keep floating row cover available; avoid covering plants with plastic
  • Mulch, but avoid touching the base of trees and roses
  • Till in winter cover crops
  • WEED!

Tips

  • When planting, dig hole twice as wide as root ball but no deeper than where it sits in the pot.
  • Backfill and water until it sinks in.
  • Continue filling in.
  • Water again until it sinks in and pack the soil down.
  • Mulch.

Tips for all 12 months

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