March 2012 Articles

Archives by Months

March Gardening To-Do-List: Vegetables

March Gardening To-Do-List
Vegetables
March is an open window to plant vegetables by direct-seeding such as Swiss chard, radishes, lettuce collards, mustards, turnips, cabbage, broccoli, snap beans and sweet corn. Use transplants to grow eggplant, peppers, and tomatoes. Late March plant cantaloupe, cucumbers, squash and watermelon or well after the danger of frost closer to April 1 in northern Louisiana.
Apply plastic mulch now to warm the soil prior to planting for a better start.
Sidedress established vegetables to keep them growing vigorously.
Trees and Shrubs
Divide and transplant older, larger clumps of chrysanthemums in early March. Failure to divide plants can result in weak, spindly growth with few flowers.
Plant petunias in March while it is still cool, to get them off to a great start.
Fertilize Azaleas and Camellias as soon as they are through flowering.
Complete all spring pruning of roses.
March is last ideal month for planting trees. If there is a tree that you have been wanting to plant into your landscape get it done this month. Planting trees in hot weather places them at greater risk for problems.
Mulch trees one to two feet out to suppress weeds and encourage better trees establishment and growth. This mulch also keeps weed-eater and lawn mowers away too. Mulch should be at least four inches thick and slightly pulled away from the trunk of the tree.
Permanent plants in pots that did not receive attention last month should now be examined to determine if they are in need of repotting.
Fruits
Complete new fruit plantings this month.
Do not forget to start your spray program on fruits especially peaches and plums.
Source: Rafash Brew, Regional Horticulture Specialist, LSU AgCenter