Here are a few
suggestions for March gardening:
Temper your gardening enthusiasm.
It's been a few months since you've been really active in the
garden. Unless you've been exercising on a regular basis those muscles in
your back, legs and arms may need a gradual wake-up call. Yes, it's great
to be out in the garden but don't plan on doing everything all in one
weekend. And watch out lifting those bags of fertilizer, potting soil, and
peat moss. Five and fifteen gallon plant containers can be pretty heavy as
well.
Around March 15th is the generally
accepted last frost date for the Tucson area. But if you
watch the local weather broadcasts you know weather predicting seems to be
a lot of hit and miss, with the emphasis on miss. If you plant frost
susceptible plants, be ready to protect them if another freezing night
creeps into town.
Spring growth
starts. Frost damaged plants can
now be pruned with the plants' guidance. It should be easy to
distinguish between healthy (new green growth showing) and damaged growth
(dead and brittle). Some plants may require severe pruning while others
need a
more modest removal of damaged growth. Finish up any pruning you didn't do
last month to shape trees.
Vegetable
garden transition. March is the time to prepare the vegetable
garden beds for the soon to plant summer crops. If some of the winter
crops like lettuce begin to bolt pull them up and add them to the
developing compost heap. Add plenty of organic matter to the beds and work
it well into the soil. Now's the time to start using some of the compost
you've been creating over the past few months.
Tomato lovers
are anxious to get their plants in the ground so they can get good tomato
production before summer's extreme heat. Don't plant too soon and when you
do, protect the young plants from hungry birds and animals.
Soil and air temperatures need to
warm up for good growth. Cucumbers, squash, and bush beans can be
planted when the soil stays warm near the end of the month.
Annuals coming
and going. The winter annuals in
your beds and containers should look prime in March. Keep them
looking nice by removing old and spent flowers. As the flowers and plants
fade you'll begin replanting with summer annuals that can tolerate the
warm weather ahead.
Warm weather, more insects.
Watch for the activity on new growth and control if necessary.
Wildlife control. Protect
young plants from hungry rabbits planning to expand their families. Birds,
especially quail, will eat succulent new growth. Mourning dove will be
looking for hanging baskets to build their nests. The birds can be
enjoyable to watch as they build their nest, lay their eggs and raise
their young but make watering the plant difficult.
March winds and warmer
temperatures mean more watering, especially container plants that
dry out quickly.
March is a
good time to wander the garden
with pencil and paper to jot down gardening ideas. Maybe this is
the year you'll add a fountain, new picnic table, ramada, flagstone or
brick patio. Is this the year to encourage a few more birds to the
garden with a bird feeder? How would a purchased or handcrafted bird house
look in your garden? If you plan now, you'll know what to purchase when
you see it in your favorite nursery or garden center.
