Average temperature High 79 Low 56
Rainfall 3.54 inches
Spring arrives: March 20th.
Move irrigation to 2x a week watering on Daylight Savings Time Day.
Time to plant
Vegetables: Bean, calabaza, cantaloupe, cassava, chayote, corn, cucumbers, dasheen, eggplant, Jerusalem artichoke, jicama, luffa, malanga, New Zealand spinach, okra, pepper, pumpkin, southern peas, squash, tamarillo, tomato, and watermelon.
Flowers: African daisy, ageratum, aster, azalea, bacopa, balsam, begonia, black-eyed Susan, blue daze, bush-daisy, celosia, cleome, coleus, coreopsis, cosmos, dahlia, Dahlberg daisy, daylily, diascia, dusty miller, four o'clock, gaillardia, gardenia, gazania, goldenrod, hibiscus, Hollywood Hibiscus™, impatiens, ixora, Joseph's coat, King’s mantle, licorice plant, marigold, melampodium, Mexican heather, million bells, moon vine, morning glory, New Guinea impatiens, nierembergia, pentas, plumbago, roses, salvia, strawflower, tithonia, torenia, verbena, vinca, Whirling Butterflies, and zinnia.
Herbs: Anise, basil, bay laurel, borage, cardamon, chervil, chives, coriander, costmary, dill, fennel, ginger, lemon balm, sweet marjoram, Mexican tarragon, mint, oregano, rosemary, sage, thyme and watercress.
Bulbs: Achimenes, African iris, African-lily, amaryllis, blood lily, bulbine, caladium, canna, crinum, crocosmia, dahlia, daylily, eucharis lily, gingers, gladiolus, gloriosa lily, Louisiana iris, rain lily, tuberose and walking iris.
Lawn Care
- Winter weather has browned many lawns; they should regreen quickly this month.
- Brown leaf blades do not have to be removed but can be raked out if you wish.
- It’s seeding time for Bahia and Centipede lawns.
- Get a soil test before fertilizing each Spring.
- UF AgriTech Soil Test Kit https://bit.ly/41N19B7
- St. Augustine, Bahia and Bermuda lawns are ready for a spring fertilizer application.
- Delay feedings of centipede and zoysia lawns until they regreen in late March or April.
- Identify weeds before using general herbicide.
- Time for using pre-emergent herbicide products is over.
- Apply separate herbicide for weeds if necessary. No need for weed and feed products.
- Do not use glyphosate or other herbicides as an “edger.” Edge with garden edgers or spade.
- Many weed control products cannot be used near trees and shrubs, check label restrictions.
- Mow lawns at their normal height; there is no need to change blade height for spring.
- Hurry to remove patches of brown weeds and resod the areas.
- Check for chinch bugs by using a hand-held vacuum cleaner. Apply insecticide if more than 20 chinch bugs are found.
- Control fire ants in lawns; treat the entire lawn following label instructions.
- Consider a substitute ground cover in areas smaller than 4’ wide, hard to mow, or problem areas where grass won’t grow.
- Have lawn care equipment serviced; change oil, check air filters and sharpen blades.
In the Landscape
- Cold weather damaged many tender shrubs and perennials; do needed pruning this month. You can cut your shrub by ⅓ and not stress the plant too much. Water well before and after pruning.
- Clear perennial plantings of debris and add new selections.
- Control your landscape by trimming tree out of bounds shoots and limbs.
- Wait to prune spring flowering shrubs until the blossoms fade.
- No need to hack crape myrtles and commit ‘crape murder’. Remove only seed pods and twiggy portions smaller than little finger.
- Consider needed tree trimming; have the work performed now before hurricane season.
- Trim declining fronds and old flower stems from palms but leave any fronds that are green.
- Complete pruning of bush-type roses; prune climbers when the spring blooms fade.
- Trim and divide ornamental grasses before they begin spring growth.
- Cool & warm seasons meet in March; continue to plant most cool and warm season flowers.
- Add trees, palms, shrubs and vines to the landscape.
- Water new plantings frequently until they grow roots into the surrounding soils.
- Cool-season weeds are still growing; control before they become too plentiful.
- Reapply mulch layers to bring mulch up to 3”.
- Trim poinsettias to within 12” to 18” from ground and begin feedings.
- Apply fertilizer to palms, shrubs and perennials.
- Established shade and flowering trees normally do not need special feedings.
- Check plants for scale insects and control with natural sprays as needed.
- Water established plants only when they show signs of wilting or moisture stress
- Divide and replant perennials.
- Replant container gardens with spring flowers.
- Divide outdoor orchids and begin every other week feedings with a diluted fertilizer solution.
- Turn fallen leaves into compost or use as mulch.
- Feed container gardens with a slow-release fertilizer following label instructions.
- Give power equipment a spring checkup.
- Clean bird houses, bird baths and fountains.
- Remove debris from water gardens and repot lilies.
Vegetable and fruit care.
- Early March is tomato, pepper, and eggplant planting time; set new plants in the ground.
- Keep covers handy to protect cold sensitive crops until mid month.
- Remove winter vegetables as they decline and plant warm season crops.
- Select pest resistant varieties to avoid insect and disease problems.
- Plant short rows every few weeks of seeded crops to extend the harvest season.
- Use bush forming crops instead of vining types in crowded gardens.
- Herbs flourish during the warmish weather; almost all do well now.
- Garden pests including aphids, whiteflies and mites are active; use a natural control.
- Spring growth is underway; complete all fruit tree pruning.
- Prune cold damaged tropical fruits to remove brown leaves and declining stems.
- Identify the type of grapes you are growing to obtain proper pruning and care information.
- Pineapples start flowering this month; maintain a good care program.
- Feed all fruit bearing trees, shrubs and vines at this time.
- Add new fruiting trees, shrubs, and vines to the landscape.
- Select warm locations for new tropical fruits.
- Maintain citrus tree vigor with the first of the new year feedings.
- Apply a minor nutrient spray to citrus trees at each flush of new growth
- Control Asian psyllids; apply an insecticide labeled for citrus at each flush of growth.
- Add container herb and vegetable gardens to crowded landscapes.
- Construct raised beds for easy maintenance.
- Reapply mulch to fruit trees.
- Fertilize vegetables lightly every 2 to 3 weeks or use a slow-release fertilizer.
- Train vining vegetables to a trellis to save space.
- Sprout sweet potatoes to produce transplants.
- Install water conserving sprinklers in fruit and vegetable plantings.
Foliage & indoor plants chores
- Some foliage plants have been affected by the cold; trim and add more soil if needed.
- Repot plants filling their containers with roots.
- Replace declining plants with low light tolerant varieties.
- Groom indoor plants to remove yellowing leaves and faded blooms.
- Trim Christmas and holiday cactus and begin more frequent waterings and feedings.
- Wash dust and pests from indoor plant foliage with a mild (not antibacterial) soapy solution.
- Move orchids outdoors or to a bright area and begin every other week feedings.
- Treat forced bulbs as temporary and add to compost pile when finished blooming.
- Check for mealy bugs, mites, and other pests. Treat according to label.
- Visit your local independent nursery centers for new plant varieties.
Photo: Teresa Watkins