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Prep For Spring!
The Garden Checklist to Get You Started
The first signs of spring are all around us and gardeners, tired of twiddling their green thumbs, emerge from indoors and look to the new season. The average last frost in our area is March 23rd so now is a great time to prepare your garden and get ready for spring planting. Read on to find out what to do in your garden this March and what can be planted early!
March Garden Checklist
- Prepare garden beds: Clear out leaves, debris and mulch. Pull weeds and add a fresh layer of mulch.
- Fertilize trees and shrubs with Hi-Yield Grower's Special.
- Give your roses a boost with Bayer All-In-One Rose and Flower Care, a formulation of systemic insecticide, fungicide and fertilizer, that will help protect against aphids, Japanese beetles and black spot.
- Un-earth containers from winter storage. Empty old potting soil and decide if new moss or coco liners are needed.
- Lawncare: In late March or early April apply fertilome All Seasons with Barricade to zoysia and bermuda lawns.
- Control weeds in your lawn by spot-spraying with fertilome Weed-Out Plus for zoysia and bermuda, or Hi-Yield Atrazine for weeds in centipede and St. Augustine.
- In early March, finish winter pruning by snipping on plants that don't bloom (evergreens) and those that bloom in summer such as crape myrtles, all hydrangeas except the oakleaves, butterfly bushes, summer-blooming spirea and roses.
What to Plant in March
- March is an excellent time to get a headstart on landscape projects! Plant trees, shrubs, perennials, groundcovers and vines now and then fill in with colorful blooms once the threat of frost is past.
- Begin planting container gardens that can be easily moved and protected from sudden cold snaps.
- Start your perennial and herb gardens. Our perennial and herb selections expand in March: Look for early-blooming perennials, such as candytuft, lenten rose, hardy cyclamen, thrift, columbine and mazus. Perennial roots are not damaged by cold and so can be planted early. Hardy herbs, such as rosemary, lavender, thyme, sage, chives and parsley can be planted now.
- Infuse color into your early spring garden with annuals, such as snapdragons, petunias, marigolds and dianthus, alyssum and nemesia, that actually enjoy cool weather.
- Wait to plant cold-sensitive annuals such as vinca, caladiums, lantana, sweet potato vine, basil and tomatoes unless used in container gardens. These are hardest hit by late cold snaps and will need to be protected.
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Uncommon Terra Cotta
Gardening with a Piece of Ancient History
 While terra cotta may seem run-of-the-mill garden fare nowadays, its history is anything but humdrum. This, coupled with its simple beauty and durability, make taking a fresh look a terra cotta worth your while.
Italian for "baked earth," terra cotta is made from clay. In ancient times it was hand-molded and sun-dried. The advent of the potter's wheel and kilns (for firing) made the process easier. Terra cotta's color is derived from the clay's iron content: higher iron content produces a darker red. Terra cotta can be found in shades of red, orange, yellow, pink and grey. Pieces of terra cotta have been discovered along the Nile river in Egypt from 10,000 B.C. and similar discoveries in India produced pieces from 3,000 B.C. Terra cotta was used to produce intricate artwork in the form of sculptures and architectural decoration, as well as essential items such as tiles, bricks, pipes, pitchers, jugs and lamps.
By including in your garden an element of history that spans thousands of years you will also reap the fundamental benefits of this earthy material. Terra cotta is porous and "breathes," allowing air to reach plant roots. Also, moisture from the soil seeps through the sides of the pot and evaporates out, making terra cotta perfect for plants that thrive in well-drained soil and ideal for situations where there is risk of over-watering. Terra cotta is susceptible to cracking during cold weather, when moisture is held in the sides of the pot and expands upon cooling. If terra cotta containers are left outside through the winter, use pot "feet" to raise them off the ground in order to improve drainage and decrease the likelihood of water being held in container walls.
Terra cotta pots can be cleaned periodically if needed using room temperature water and a stiff brush. For a more thorough cleaning or to disinfect, mix 1 part bleach to 10 parts water, or 1/4 cup vinegar per gallon of water. Minerals and fertilizers leached from the soil can eventually stain terra cotta- for tough stains, soak pots in bleach or vinegar and water mixtures. Allow pots to dry completely and stack if storing.
Terra cotta pots are an elegant addition to your landscape and link your garden with the homes and lives of past civilizations who enjoyed and benefited from this primordial material. |
Japanese Maples
 The Japanese Maple's striking leaf colors and shapes, along with their beautiful bark and structural branching, make them an enchanting addition to the garden. Over 23 species of the genus Acer are native to Japan, including Acer palmatum or Japanese Maple. These maples have been cherished and cultivated in Japan since the early 1600's. In Japan, they are known as momiji or kaede, both references to the maple's unusual leaves. The complex nature of the Japanese language is evidenced by the English translations of momiji: "little baby extends its tiny hands which are like the leaves of maple" or "becomes crimson-leaved." Kaede means "frog hand" which refers to the web-like leaves of some A. palmatum varieties. Many historical stands of Japanese Maples were lost during World War II when land was cleared for food production and the wood used for fires. Since that time, the maple's popularity has resurged in Japan and spread to the United States. Intense cultivation of Japanese Maples has produced many exciting varieties and will preserve it as a horticultural treasure for generations to come.
Japanese Maples provide interest to the landscape year-round. In spring, leaves unfold in vibrant shades of green, red, purple, pink, orange and white and then mellow to green, red or variegated leaves. In the fall, Japanese maples explode into bright yellows, oranges and reds and the branches and bark add interest to the winter garden. There are dwarf, upright and lace-leaf Japanese maples. Dwarf types, including cascading varieties, mature at 3 to 6 feet, lace-leaf types at 16 feet or less and upright types at 25 to 30 feet in 50 years.
Their slow growth rate, relatively small stature and ornamental features make Japanese maples excellent additions to small gardens and containers. These maples are also suprisingly adaptive and a variety can be found for most any garden situation. Japanese maples are tolerant of all well-drained soils except those that are highly alkaline. Most prefer part sun (3 to 4 hours per day). Green-leaved varieties are the most sun tolerant, while red and variegated-leaved types prefer some afternoon shade. Red-leaved Japanese maples will often revert to green if planted in dense shade. Their fibrous roots are non-invasive and concentrated in the upper layers of the soil, which makes them ideal container plants. Fertilize Japanese maples once a year in early spring before leaves emerge. If needed, prune heavily between November and January. The strong, attractive branching of Japanese maples can be intensified by periodically removing small limbs and twigs from inside the canopy.
You can easily enjoy the four season beauty of these captivating maples in your own garden. Create a focal point in the landscape, tuck one in a shrub border where the outstanding foliage will suprise, or create a grouping of container grown Japanese maples to enliven a patio! | |
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