March Garden Chores
By Alyce Goldman and Cathrine StClair
Weather wise, March can be a very unpredictable month. Sometimes you can tackle some early spring chores and sometimes you just need to sit on your hands and wait until the weather cooperates.
The biggest problem is wet, soggy soil. When doing garden work, avoid standing, walking or driving over wet soils as much as possible. Wet soils compact much more easily. It is extremely important not to till soggy soils, especially with a rotary tiller. It’s not worth risking the soil structure of your planting bed just to try to gain a couple of weeks gardening time.
That said, here are some chores you might be able to tackle.
In much of Delaware County, this month is the time to start seeds for warm season vegetables and flowers that need 8 weeks of growth inside - things like tomatoes and marigolds. You can also start cool season crops like lettuce and broccoli to give them a head start for planting out in mid-April.
To get a jump on the season, start canna, caladium, and dahlia tubers inside now for planting out when soil and air temperatures are warmer. They will be larger and more robust than if you just plant the bulbs outside when the soil warms.
Some cold season vegetables (like peas, potatoes, spinach, carrots, radish, onion sets and directly seeded lettuce) can be planted in the garden near the end of the month provided the soil is not too wet to work. The soil should crumble when handled.
Direct sow poppy seeds in the flower beds. Make sure to mark them so you don't disturb them cleaning up beds later. Cold season flowers like pansies and violas can also be planted.
Carefully push any perennials that have heaved out of the soil due to freeze-thaw cycles back in place to avoid root damage. Take note of any perennials that will need to be divided next month.
Finish pruning fruit trees. Many deciduous woody ornamentals can also be pruned now in order to shape them before new growth starts. It’s also a good time to rejuvenate some overgrown shrubs and hedges by cutting them back. With some plants, like Cotinus (Smokebush) and Physocarpus (Ninebark) you will need to decide whether or not to cut them back to get larger, more attractive foliage – as this will sacrifice the flowers for the season. This article from Perdue University provides guidance on what to prune when.
You can also prune some evergreens in spring. Different evergreens respond to pruning in different ways so make sure you know the species and its requirements before you prune. This article from University of Delaware has more information on pruning evergreens.
It’s time to prune shrub roses when the Forsythia blooms, which should happen this month. Wait to prune old-fashioned roses and climbers that bloom only once a year until after they bloom.
Bare root trees and shrubs can be planted now. Ornamental shrubs can also be transplanted now while they are dormant.
While the ground is still soft, edge your beds to get your garden looking good and prevent the lawn from creeping in.
You may be able to begin cleaning up some garden debris. It is beneficial to native insects if you can wait until daytime temperatures are consistently above 50 F so they have time to emerge for the season.
Rake excess debris carefully off beds that hold earliest bloomers first - bulbs and spring ephemerals. It is OK (actually beneficial) to leave the leaves in place in a woodland garden as natural mulch. Woodland plants will grow through the leaf cover and the leaves will decompose, enriching the soil.
Trim the old foliage from ornamental grasses before they start new growth. This also prevents mice from nesting in the grass clumps.
Trim old foliage from very early spring blooming perennials like Hellebore and Epimedium in order to showcase their spring flowers.
Clean out your birdhouses by removing all old nesting material and if needed, spray the interior with 2/3 water and 1/3 bleach to remove any fungal growth.
Remove old sunflower hulls from under your bird feeders. The seed hulls are allelopathic and will inhibit the growth of grass and other plants if left in place.
Check your tree trunks once more for spotted lantern fly egg masses.
Place any online orders for plants that you would like to arrive in April or May. Some companies allow you to choose your delivery week and often unusual plants will sell out quickly.
Enjoy the sunshine!