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FeedMarch 2007 Garden Tips
• If you are thinking about a landscaping project for your yard this summer, line up a landscape design professional before their schedules fill up. Some are already booked for 2007! An on-site consultation will generate some ideas for your own backyard paradise.• Search seed catalogs and gardening magazines for new ideas and designs to incorporate in your summer garden. Review any photos or notes you made at the end of the 2006 growing season for areas that need improvement or additional plants.
• Water houseplants that start sprouting new growth more frequently and apply a weak fertilizer. Turn houseplants a quarter turn each week so all sides receive adequate light.
• March is a great time to start tender bulbs indoors; this will give them a head start and encourage them to bloom in your garden earlier than if they were planted directly in your garden. These tender bulbs include cannas, dahlias, caladiums, and tuberous begonias.
• To determine the correct seed start date, add 32-40 days to the number of days needed for the seed to germinate (found on the seed packet). Count that number of days backward from the last expected frost date in your area.
• Never fertilize frozen ground. The fertilizer does not benefit the grass and instead runs off into the storm sewers and eventually lakes and rivers. Do fertilize shade trees and shrubs with a 16-8-8 fertilizer (high in nitrogen) when buds swell.
• Finish pruning dormant trees, fruit trees, and berry bushes. Pruning of trees in late winter helps reduce chance of disease. It is an especially good time to prune oaks.
• Days can be warm enough to encourage some plants to start sprouting. Keep mulch piled on beds to protect plants from freezing nights.
• Clean out all birdhouses so they will be ready for the returning spring flock. Install bluebird houses now. Place them 5-6 feet above the ground with the entrance hole facing north or east.
Web-Exclusive Tips:
• March is a time for planning. Put it on paper, and schedule gardening times on your calendar to insure a successful year.• March seems to be the month for home and garden shows. Don't miss going—you will see what is new and find inspiration at display booths. At the very least, you'll get a shot of spring!
• Start seeds for your vegetable garden, too. Place in a sunny window with plastic wrap over the soil to keep humidity level high until germination.
• Set up a small fan to gently move air over your seedlings for an hour every day. This will strengthen their stems and reduce fungus problems.
• Keep off your lawn when it is frozen, bare of snow and/or thawed and wet to avoid damaging the grass or compacting the soil.
• Do not rake the yard until it feels firm and fairly dry. If there is a heavy concentration of road grit or sand on the boulevard, use a broom to sweep it away.
• The month of March provides little food for wildlife. Keep plants and shrubs safe with wire cages or blood meal. And don't remove mulch too early!
• Check any trellis, fence, or arbor that may have been damaged during the winter.
• Do not work soil when it is wet. This is especially true for clay soil, which can turn into hard clumps.
• Before doing any digging, call your utility companies to locate any buried wires, cables or pipes to prevent injury and save time and money.
Resources:
Scenic Specialties320-363-7479
America's Best Flowers
608-222-2269
Gertens
651-450-1501
Linder's Garden Center
651-488-1927
Dundee Nursery & Floral
952-894-8740
Pahl's Market
952-431-4345
Wagner Greenhouses, Inc.
612-922-6901
Villa Landscapes
Burnsville
• 952-894-1553
Maple Grove
• 763-425-9277
Oakdale
• 651-773-7440
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