March Garden Tips
Cornell Cooperative Extension
Apply fertilizer to spring flowering bulbs as soon as shoots start poking through the ground. For more information, see our fact sheet on this topic. Look for blooming crocus, pansies and witch hazel. Make a note to purchase and plant these and other spring flowering bulbs in the fall.
Prune blueberry bushes late this month to maintain 6 - 9 branches per plant. For more information, see our fact sheet on this topic.
Do a thorough garden clean-up at the end of the month.
Be on the watch for swarming termites and carpenter ants. For more information regarding termites, see our fact sheet on this topic. For more information regarding carpenter ants, see our fact sheet on this topic.
Be careful of damping off of seedlings. Use only a sterile seed starting mix.
Discard straggly holiday plants.
Transplant shrubs and other woody plants while they are still in a dormant state. Do not apply fertilizer at planting. This would encourage vegetative growth. You want the root system to become established first.
Begin sowing seeds for your summer crops and annuals now. Keep humidity high during germination by using covers over the flats. Light is not essential for germination. Once germinated, use lights or keep in a sunny window. For more information, see our fact sheet on this topic.
Cut back the dead foliage from last year's perennials (ornamental grasses being one of them) now.
When the soil is dry enough to work, incorporate lime and fertilizer to the vegetable garden only if needed. Check your soils pH first. For more information, see our fact sheet on this topic.
Monitor your trees. Spraying horticultural oils on deciduous trees before the buds break and after the danger of freezing nights will smother the eggs before the crawlers get a chance to nibble. Check with us for Cornell Recommendations on specific trees and shrubs.
Check your spraying schedule for your cherries, apples, peach and other fruit trees.
Sharpen the lawn mower blade and other gardening tools. Exercise safety. Take an inventory of your garden supplies and equipment.
Plant new trees and shrubs now. They would benefit from the early spring rainfall. For more information, see our fact sheet on this topic.