March Gardening To Do List

The unpredictable weather in March reminds us that Spring is coming. Now is the time to get a head start on our spring garden preparations. Here are some projects to begin, in no particular order.

• Bring in your soil for a free pH test. Our garden shop will test your soil free of charge to help determine if the soil needs to be adjusted to allow more nutrients to be available to plants.
• Be careful of not to work in wet soil. Compacted soil does not allow air to reach the root zone of the plants.
• Early spring is a great time to reseed and over seed the lawn. Choose a good mixture including turf-type tall fescues for good results. We carry a full line of Jonathan Green grass seed and lawn fertilizers.
• Control winter weeds like chickweed, nettle and henbit with an herbicide labeled for use in the lawn and garden. Wait until temperatures warm a bit for the best control.
• As air temperatures start to warm up and perennials start to emerge from dormancy, pull back protective mulches, including leaves, to allow plants to grow.
• Plant onion sets, pea seeds, and asparagus and horseradish roots in March.
• March is a good time to plant fruit trees, berries and grapes as soon as the soil is workable.
• Get tools cleaned up and ready for work. Sharpen pruners, loppers and lawn mower blades.
• Invest in a good thermometer and rain gauge. Keep a journal of weather and gardening events.
• Start feeding houseplants lightly. Our greenhouse staff, a bunch of plant geeks, love Monty's Joy Juice.
• Cut back butterfly bushes and ornamental grasses now.
• Pickup one of our Vegetable Gardening Guides. This free handout provides planting dates, fertilization recommendations, and gardening tips for a slew of vegetable transplants.
• Choose flower and vegetable seeds early for the best selection. Take a look at our wide assortment of wildflower seeds as well. Now is also a good time to get transplants started indoors.
• Clean leaves out of the pond and restart the pump. 
•  Pull marginal plants in the pond back up to their spring shelves along the water gardens edge.
• Clean statuary and fountains.
• Attend some gardening seminars. See our upcoming events for a current list of lawn, vegetable and ornamental gardening classes.

Enjoy this time of year. Do some planning, some dreaming and get ready to get a good start in the garden with the help of the aforementioned tips. For more timely tips, visit The Maryland Home and Garden Information Center website.