Monthly Gardening Tips 3rd Edition

March ahh to the gardener it's music to the ears.  March is the happening month.  The grounds begin to warm, the snow disappears.  Garden centers around town begin to fill up with supplies for the new season.  So much to do.  So what should you start with?  So glad you asked.

Prune - Yup once again on the list is to prune those dormant fruit trees.  Now is the most important time to get this done.  As the weather begins to warm they will begin to wake.  Ornamental Grasses should be pruned to 6" now before any new growth appears. I know will this item ever be taken off the list?  I am sure it will...maybe when the garden is fully awake.

Remove winter covers - Any winter mulch that was placed on your gardens can begin to be removed as the weather warms up.  Keep the cold frames or row covers over the tender plants but the hardy ones need a little cooling off now.  Still snow on the gardens?  Go ahead and skip this I know I will.

Harden off - An important step that many forget when starting seeds inside is called hardening off.  This is where you set seedling outside for a short period of time and gradually making that longer.  It should take about a week to get those seeds to a full day outside.  If they are going into a cold frame or green house hardening off isn't as important. Remember if there is still snow on the ground skip this step as there is no point to harden off plants if they can't be planted.

Organic matter - As the weather gets warmer and the garden appear under the melting snow you will notice that the ground begins to become workable.  As soon as it is with in your gardens it's time to add some compost or other organic matter.  Simply add the new material to the top and then loosen up the soil.  As you begin to loosen the soil the compost will be worked in. Yup like many other steps this one may have to wait till the end of the month.

Vegetables to start this month - This months plant starting list is a long one.  To begin lets look at the plants that can be transplanted this month.  If the ground is soft enough or they are going into a greenhouse or cold frame the following plants started last month may be transplanted - Broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, collards, kale, leeks, mustard and lettuce. 

                        - As long as the ground is soft enough or you have a greenhouse or cold frame the following vegetables should be direct sown this month - leeks, mustard, onions, peas, lettuce, celery, turnips, carrots, beets, parsnip, rasish, potato, and parsley.  Although some list on the packaging that transplanting is not recomended some of these can be started inside and transplanted.  Lettuce and peas as long as started in peat pellets, that have the mesh lining can be safely started indoors and then transplanted. 

                        -  Space willing the following vegetables can be started in flats or seed starting trays this month - Broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, collards, kale, leek, mustard, lettuce, spinach, chard, celery, tomato, pepper, eggplant, luffa, gourd, squash, and cucumber.

Flowers to start this month - Many of the flowers that could be started last month can also be started this month as well.  A few others have been added to the list as well so for the flowers to start in flats or seed trays this month - Perennials like candytuft, carnation, chrysanthemum, columbine, delphinium, floxglove, hollyhock, lupine, lavender, penstemon, pincushion flower, poppy, rudbeckia, alvia, statice, and yarrow.

Although many of the items in the list I can't do yet it's good to know that the list is getting longer.  It's nice to see that spring really is on it's way....even if it doesn't feel like it.