March Zone 5

What to do in the garden in March in zone 5

• Start seeds.  If you haven’t started any of your seeds yet, it is time to get them all going.  Start you cool season plants right away.  Start tomatoes, peppers, annuals and perennials next.
• Stop feeding the birds  As soon as the snow is gone, clean out the bird feeders and store them until next year.
• Flush street side plantings  Flush the planting beds near the street with plenty of water to dilute the road salt that has accumulated in the soil.  Even salt tolerant plants will appreciate it.
• Divide perennials  As soon as the ground has thawed and dried, you can divide and move perennials.  Do not divide the very early spring bloomers such as bleeding heart until after blooming or in fall.  You may need to wait until April
• Plant bare root trees  Bare root trees, shrubs and roses should be planted as soon as the soil is thawed and dried, usually in March to early April.
• Prune  Prune fruit trees, shade trees, and summer blooming shrubs.  Do not prune spring bloomers such as lilacs until after they are done blooming.  Prune off any limbs damaged over winter.  Do not prune oaks, elm or walnut until fall.
• Clean up perennial grass  When it gets warm and the lawn is dry enough to walk on, cut back the dead top growth of perennials and perennial grasses.  Leave about 3 or 4 inches of stems that will help keep hungry rabbits out of the new growth and keep you from stepping on them.
• Clean up  As soon as the ground has thawed and dried, you can check perennials for new growth.  Peak under the mulch and if growth is well underway you can remove the mulch.  Don’t rush this!  If nights are still freezing, leave the mulch in place until nights are consistently above freezing.
• Sort tubers  Sort through stored tubers, roots and bulbs for dahlias, cannas, glads and begonias.  Dispose of anything that has shriveled or decayed.
• Fertilize evergreens  As soon as the ground has thawed, pound in evergreen fertilizer stakes or apply a slow release granular fertilizer.
• Fertilize trees and shrubs  Before new growth begins, fertilize trees and shrubs.
• Preen  Apply Preen to garden beds to prevent weeds.
• Clean tools  Clean and sharpen shovels, hoes and pruners if you haven’t done it yet.  Clean and grease the garden sprayer.
• Tune up the mower  Beat the rush and take it in early in the month.
• Put out a rain gauge  Take the guesswork out of how much water your plants are getting.
• Fertilize bulbs  Spring blooming bulbs should be fertilized in March or early April.

• Plant tubers  Buy tubers for begonias and plant them in pots indoors now, they will be ready for your window box or planters by spring.  You will save a lot of money versus buying potted plants at the garden center.
• Prune roses  Usually in March, before growth begins, prune dead, broken and wayward branches from hybrid tea, grandiflora and floribunda roses.  Cut back to about 6 inches tall  When the forsythia blooms, just ahead of dandelions blooming and lilac leaves appearing, it is time to prune roses.  Apply a slow release granular fertilizer.
• Fertilize the lawn  Depending on weather patterns, this should usually be done by end of March.  After the first mowing, apply fertilizer.  Pre-emergent for crabgrass should be included if necessary.  Crabgrass seed generally germinates after the soil temperature has reached 50 degrees, and requires about 5 consecutive days of 50 degree soil temperature.  When you see the first dandelion bloom, it is time to apply crabgrass control.  If you plan to do spring seeding, crabgrass control may prevent germination of the grass seed unless you “stir up the soil” first to break the barrier.
• Aerate the lawn  Every few years the lawn should be aerated in March or April.  De-thatching should wait until late summer or early fall.
• Plant the cold frame  Start lettuce and spinach outside in the cold frame early to middle of the month.
• Prep the beds  When the soil has thawed and dried and begins to warm up, usually by the middle to end of the month, you can remove winter mulch.  Work compost of leaf mold into the top layer of soil.
• Soil test  Test the soil in your lawn and gardens so you know if lime or other additives and nutrients will be necessary before the growing season starts.
• Make new beds  Add new garden beds now while you have the time.
• Plant the cool season crops  As soon as the soil has warmed and dried, peas can be sown directly in the ground.  Usually this will be the end of March or first week of April.  Next is lettuce and radishes.
• Plant bulbs  Plant summer and fall flowering bulbs as soon as the soil has thawed and dried.
• Plant cool season annuals  As soon as the soil is dry and warming up, plant cool season annuals such as pansies.
• Spray fruit trees  Apply dormant spray to fruit trees before the buds swell.