Plants in flower:

• Saucer Magnolia, Flowering Cherry, Forsythia, Star Magnolia, Spirea, Flowering Quince, Carolina Jessamine, Periwinkle, Thrift, Violets, Crocus, Daffodil, Hyacinths and Tulips

Fertilizing:

• Fertilize shrubs and shade trees
• Fertilize asparagus beds early this month before spear growth begins
• Before planting your vegetables, fertilize your garden as recommended by your soil test results
• Apply the recommended amount of lime if this was not done in the fall

Planting:

• Plant a tree for Arbor Day! (March 18^th)
• Plant small fruit plants, grape vines and fruit trees before the buds break
• Transplant or plant new trees, shrubs, and ground covers so their roots can get established before summer comes!
• Plant seeds of the following perennials: columbine, hollyhock, coreopsis, daisy, phlox, and dianthus (Sweet William)
• Plants of broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower should be set out in the garden in mid-March
• Plant seeds of these vegetables: beets, carrots, Chinese cabbage, kale, kohlrabi, lettuce, Swiss chard, turnips, potatoes, cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower.
• Start any annual flowers or warm-season vegetables inside your home that are not commercially available in early March

Pruning:

• Finish pruning fruit trees, blueberries, grapes, blackberries
• Prune spring flowering plants like winter honeysuckle, flowering quince, and camellias after their flowers fade
• Prune roses late in March
• Shrubs like abelia, mahonia and nandina can be pruned this month if needed
• Dead-head or pick off faded flowers of pansy and daffodil (they will flower longer if old flowers are removed)
• Overgrown shrubs can be severely pruned (not needled evergreens)
• Trim ornamental grasses like liriope, Mondo grass, and pampas grass (a weed eater will work perfect!)

Spraying:

• Spray peach and nectarine trees with a fungicide to prevent leaf curl
• Spray all fruit trees with dormant oil to help eliminate some insects (after pruning)

Lawn Care:

• Fertilize with cool-season turf with 10-10-10, but NOT with slow-release fertilizer
• Apply crabgrass preventer to your lawn to help control crabgrass in the turf
• Mow tall fescue lawns as needed
• Seed fescue and bluegrass if not done in September

Propagation:

• Continue to divide perennials like daylily, shasta daisy, gaillardia and coreopsis

Specific Chores:

• Restock on garden supplies like fertilizer, insecticides and fungicides if needed
• Make sure all garden equipment, lawn mowers, tillers, hedge trimmers, tools, hoses and sprayers are ready to go for the season
• Be certain that old plantings of perennials like peony, hollyhock and phlox are clean of last season’s growth