Now is the wrong time for working the soil, unless the soil has
completely dried out. Soil worked
when too wet may be damaged for the entire season. Much of our area has lots of clay soil, which adds to the
problem.
You can start fertilizing houseplants but don’t fertilize the lawn
until it has been mowed a few times.
If conditions warm quickly and the soil thaws, trees and shrubs could be
fertilized, but April would be a better choice.
One chore that can be done as weather allows you to get outside now
is pruning. There are trees and
shrubs that could be pruned this month.
For example, it’s a good time for crabapples, many shade trees, and mid
to late summer blooming shrubs. As soon as the buds start to swell, it’s time
to begin pruning apple, plum and cherry trees. Plum trees should be pruned to an open center, while apple
and cherry trees grow best pruned to a modified leader (center is more closed
and tree is more upright). Remove
any dead, diseased, or broken branches, as well as crossing branches and
twiggy, nonproductive growth. March is not the time for pruning maples, elm,
birch, and early spring blooming shrubs, however.
While you’re pruning flowering trees, such as crab apple and plum,
cut some two-foot sections of pruned limbs with flower buds on them (flower
buds are larger than leaf buds) for forcing. The best way to hydrate the stems is to lay them down in a
bathtub of water overnight. Or if
you don’t want to mess with that, just re-cut the stems, place them in a bucket
of warm water, and keep them in a cool place for a week or so. When flowers begin to open, bring them
into your living room and your house will smell of spring, even though the snow
may still be flying outdoors.
Sowing seeds is another chore for this month. Starting seeds indoors
gives you a jump start on the growing season, often leading to earlier harvest
and allows you to have many varieties you can’t find at greenhouse and
garden stores.
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While
you are waiting for the soil to dry, here are a few late winter chores:
• Check out your garden tools, patio furniture,
window boxes, etc. Paint, repair,
or discard so you are ready to go when it’s
really nice out!
• Begin to transplant pot bound houseplants.
• Continue to inspect houseplants for pests and
control as needed.
• Cut back leggy houseplants.
• It’s a good time to propagate some house
plants. Abundant sunshine is on
its way!
• Plan your vegetable garden on a sheet of paper
to utilize the space most efficiently.
Remember to rotate the vegetables in the garden to reduce insect and
disease problems.
• Order seeds! Hey that’s always fun.
Try something new this year!
