WOW what a winter we had this year! Spring is almost
here!!! What a wonderful feeling to be able to spend more time outside enjoying
what Mother Nature is unfolding before our eyes. The lengthening of days is a
welcome site, and the warm sun on our faces is also a very great feeling. We
“spring forward” with Daylight Savings Time on Sunday, March 10 this year. That
is exciting.
The grass will be greening up and mowing time is just
around the corner. Mow lawns now to remove old growth and the last of winter’s
leaves before new growth begins. Thin spots and bare patches in the lawn can be
over seeded now if you don’t
intend to use a crabgrass preventer on your lawn. Last summer’s heat and
drought may make this a necessity this spring, if you missed the opportunity
last fall.
If you don’t
over seed your lawn, now is the time to apply Fertilome Crabgrass Plus Lawn
Food. We have long summer seasons here, and actually recommend that you make
two applications of this product (4-6 weeks apart) to keep your yards crabgrass
free this summer.
Begin spring cleanup of perennial beds this month. Cut
perennials to 3” above the ground. Remove damaged foliage and old flower
stalks. Ornamental grasses and hardy hibiscus can be pruned back to 6” above
the ground now.
Once flowerbeds have been cleaned up, re-mulching can be
done. Be sure not to mulch on the crowns of plants. Top dress or dry feed beds
with a granular fertilizer, such as Osmocote, and apply a pre-emergent to help
keep weed seeds from germinating. Divide summer and fall blooming perennials
now, along with ornamental grasses if you so desire.
Plant/sow peas, lettuce, radish, kohlrabi, collards,
turnips, potatoes, spinach, onion sets, beets, carrots, and parsley outside
this month. Set out broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, Chinese cabbage,
cauliflower and pansy transplants now. This month is also great for setting out
strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, grapes and fruit trees.
Start seeds indoors this month for tomatoes, peppers and
eggplants. And houseplants can still be repotted. Continue to check houseplants
for over wintering insect populations.
Nesting boxes for bluebirds can be set up as well as
Purple Martin houses. Bluebird boxes are best at about 5’ off the ground on a
fence post in the open with the entry hole facing away from prevailing winds.
Purple Martins return to our zone 6 region between St. Pat’s Day and the end of
the month. So, now is the time to clean out those houses and be prepared.
It is time to go, “See you in the garden!!”
Sandi Hillermann McDonald
