Spring is just around the corner , and there is much to do in the garden . The weather can be finicky in March , but there will be slew of balmy mean solar day to get some early bound horticulture jobs completed . Some of the stick with job can be curb off your list this calendar month .
1. Remove last year’s growth from perennial beds
numb perennial and grass that were left standing for wintertime pastime or food and shelter for wildlife can be abbreviate back to make way for raw growth . If possible , chop or cut up the erstwhile stems and foliage , and leave them as mulch to suppress weeds and to furnish constitutional material for the soil . Tie up large cosmetic grasses with some twine , and expend hedge trimmers to cut down to the base . With this method , it is much easier to remove the whole clump at once .
2. Begin weeding
If the snow has cleared , clean up and gage beds . Winter weed can be removed , and any joystick and fallen tree tree branch can be light up . leaf usually make terrific instinctive mulch , but now it is a good idea to remove them to reset the mode for bulb and early spring perennial foliation .
3. Start your seeds
Now is the metre to plant the seed you ordered in February . March is a swell prison term to inseminate the vegetable and annual seeds that need a head start indoors . vegetable such as tomatoes and peppercorn thrive in hot weather condition , so sowing those seed now will ensure a works with enough increase to produce fruit by the conclusion of the time of year . Annuals such as amaranth ( Amaranthusspp . and cvs . , one-year ) , flower tobacco ( Nicotianaspp . and cvs . , Zones 10–11 ) , and floss flush ( Ageratum houstonianum , one-year ) also require a turn of a head start before the warmer growing season start .
4. Propagate overwintering houseplants and tender perennials
Those plants from last time of year that you overwintered inside are ready to be multiply using cuttings . Coleus ( Plectranthus scutellarioides , Zones 10–11 ) , begonia ( Begoniaspp . and cvs . , Zones 6–11 ) , and perfumed geraniums ( Pelargoniumspp . and cvs . , Zones 10–11 ) are relatively well-fixed to propagate from cuttings . Just cut a folio at the petiole and stick it in a muckle or tray of moist , well - drain potting intermixture . To speed up growth , douse the leafstalk in root hormone . ( This step may increase the chance of success but is not necessary . ) Houseplants with trailing drug abuse like golden pothos ( Epipremnum aureum , Zones 10–11 ) and philodendron ( Philodendronspp . and cvs . , Zones 9–11 ) can be cut and put in a vase of water . Once root word form on the prow , they can be pot up . Plants propagated by these method acting will give you beautiful , full plant ready to append to your garden in May .
5. Plant trees and shrubs
Although temperatures in March fluctuate frequently , it is a great prison term to imbed trees and shrubs . Nurseries start stocking fountain - blossom tree too soon , so if the grunge is viable , then you’re able to plant . Be sure to scrutinise the quality of tree diagram or shrubs , making certain the industrial plant and roots appear healthy . When embed , do n’t bury to give the root ball extra room , and plant at soil level or slightly higher to ensure good drainage .
If the weather condition is cooperative this month , there is no clip to waste in getting out of doors to enjoy some ( of what seems like ) long - wait time in the garden .
— Michele Christiano is a gardening supporter at Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square , Pennsylvania .
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Although the ground is still mostly bare this month, we will begin to see early spring-blooming bulbs peaking through last season’s mulch.Photo: Michelle Gervais
Cut back last year’s faded growth from perennials and grasses.Photo: Kristin Green
Remove leaves and other debris from emerging foliage to clear the way for new growth.Photo: Michele Christiano
Vegetable and annual seeds can be started indoors now for planting out in the garden later in spring.Photo: Michele Christiano
Scented geraniums and other tender perennials that you may have overwintered can be propagated now through leaf cuttings to produce more plants for your summer gardens.Photo: Michele Christiano
As soon as the soil is no longer frozen, you can get new trees and shrubs in the ground.Photo: Andy Pulte
