Monthly Tips
March
Start
Tomato seeds can be started at month’s end.
Inspect
Trees and shrub branches may be winter damaged. Gray snow mold may cause gray or straw colored patches in the lawn.
Rake
Clean up the lawn and help reduce or eliminate snow mold with a good stiff raking. Also clean out the garden of branches leaves and dead foliage. This will help prevent mold and other diseases from spreading from the old material. Do this when the ground is firm under foot.
Edge
Its fun to change/widen your flower and foliage beds a bit. So now is the easiest time to edge. The ground is usually soft and the edger cuts right in with little effort.
Prune
Prune Rose of Sharon, butterfly bush, and other bushes that produce blooms that on shoots that develop in the spring. Ornamental grasses should be cut back to 6 inches. Prune broken tree/bush branches and limbs shaping the plant for spring. Fruit trees should not be pruned after March so if you missed February, prune now. Also, remove old canes and thin weaker canes of raspberries. Trim 8 to12 inches from the canes that remain.
Apply
Now’s the time for lime. Most area lawns need 1 bag per 1000 sq ft per year. So, a typical 10,000 sq ft lot needs 5 bags (assuming house and driveway cover half the lot). The earlier the lime gets to the soil, the sooner the pH will become more neutral and allow the grass to take up nutrients more effectively. Jonathan Green has come out with a product called Magical. Magical will do the job of lime in much less time and with much less bulk. Also, apply your crabgrass inhibitor fertilizer before the forsythia bloom (usually by April 1st). In a four step lawn care program this is Step 1. In an organic lawn program this step utilizes corn gluten meal as the weed seed germination inhibitor and fertilizer. Milky spore can be applied as grubs are coming to the surface to feed.
Spray
Fruit trees should be protected with horticultural oil to control insects and lime sulfur to help control disease. You may also spray shrubs and roses. Never apply this combination once new growth is visible. Switch to horticultural oil only at that point. If you have deer problems, its time to use a deterrent. There are a number of sprays both organic and chemical as well as natural urine products that make your yard less interesting to deer.
Tie
Climbing roses should be tied and suckering branches removed.
Dig
By mid-month perennials may be dug and transplanted. It’s a good time to divide plants that have become too large.
Maintain
Its time to get your lawn and garden equipment ready for spring and summer. If your mower ran fine last year a minor tune-up including spark plug, oil change, blade sharpening, belt check and a good clean out is a good idea. Dull mower blades will damage grass tips, tearing them and leaving them ripe for disease. Cutting tools should be sharp, move easily and be free of rust. We can sharpen most all of your gardening tools. Dull cutting tools can do more damage than good. Hoses should be checked for leaks and a tight fit.
Mulch
Check the depth of mulch and replenish before spring weed seeds begin to germinate. Cocoa shell mulch can help deter deer.
Needham Garden Center
We have in stock, all tools and materials you will need in March. We can service your power equipment including pick up and delivery, sharpen all garden tools, removing rust and oiling as part of the service. We specialize in organic lawn and garden care products. We will be happy to design an organic program ranging from crabgrass prevention and fertilization to weed and pest eradication. We stock many deer deterrents that work. Many choices of mulch are available including, cocoa shell, cedar, red cedar, hemlock and buckwheat hulls.