March in the Garden
START IN FLATS
V: corn, eggplant, melon, peppers, tomatillo, tomatoes H: basil, dill, chamomile, chives, oregano
PLANT
V: asparagus, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, potato tubers P: boysenberry, gaillardia, heuchera, loganberry, olallieberry, Oriental lilies, penstemon, pelargonium (scented geraniums), salvias, strawberries H: mint, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sage, thyme B: callas, cannas, dahlias, freesias, gladiolas, tuberous begonias T: citrus (from 5-gallon cans)
DIRECT SOW
V: beets, bush peas, carrots, lettuce, radishes, spinach, Swiss chard, turnips, broccoli, collards, cucumber, beets, carrots, eggplant, garlic, greens, mesculins, mustard, pepper, potato tubers (continue sowing for continuous crop), shallot, snap beans, sorrel, summer squash, sweet corn, sweet peas A: clarkia
FERTILIZE N-P-K
Use nitrogen (fish emulsion) for perennials, transplants and ground cover. Fertilize roses, lawns, annual flowers, vegetables, berries, citrus, and fuchsias with high nitrogen. Use acidic fertilizer for azaleas, camellias and rhododendrons (wait until after bloom). Apply foliar feeding of iron for citrus.
PRUNE
Cut back lavender, penstemon, salvia, perennials and herbs. Thin fruit on apples, Asian pears, nectarines and peaches.
MULCH IRRIGATION SOIL
Dig green manure and compost (that was made in fall) into garden beds. Check root zone for soil moisture. Check and flush irrigation system.
PESTS
Trap gophers throughout the end of May. Watch for bird damage on spinach, carnation, cabbage and pea families. Hang pheromone traps in apple trees to control codling moths.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Divide day lily, agapanthus, Shasta daisy, and yarrows. Shop for nursery plants.