March in the Garden

This time of year, we're all excited to get into our gardens. In case you're unsure of what maintenance you should be doing, here's what Behnke's president, Alfred Millard, has planned for his own yard this week, with a few quick "why am I doing that" notes:

Final pruning of evergreens, but not spring-flowering plants. I am pruning the evergreens because they will soon send out their new growth for spring. This will make the plants fuller, and they will only look "recently pruned" for a couple of weeks. I am not pruning the spring-flowering plants because I don't want to cut the flowers off. All of the flower buds were produced last summer. I'll wait to prune those, if they need it, until right after they finish flowering.
Removing most leaf clutter (leave a thin layer for mulching, decomposing in bed for nutrients...) from beds as plants are starting to emerge (like epimediums, lilies of the valley, new growth on pachysandra, daffodil and scilla bulbs, etc.). Partly for neatness; also leaves that are too deep tend to pack down which can smother the plants beneath. This is more a problem with maples than with oaks, which is mostly what I have in my yard.
Since we spend a lot of time in the yard training our two dogs, the lawn is in need of some renovation. I am aerating all lawn areas to loosen the soil and reduce compaction. I will be over-seeding with grass and clover seed (white clover is a legume that fixes nitrogen--that is, takes nitrogen from the air instead of only from the soil--and is a source of nectar for bees). I will then be applying a thin layer of Leafgro on top to conserve moisture as the grass and clover seed germinates so the seedlings doesn't dry out and die.
I will then apply pet-friendly organic lawn fertilizer and lime. The lime is to counteract the effects of the dog urine and oak tree leaves, which tend to acidify soil, Lawns prefer a less acid soil.
I should spray horticultural oil on some of the trees and shrubs to control overwintering pest insects like scale and aphids, but I doubt that I will get to it. You can only accomplish so much in a weekend!

-- Alfred Millard, Behnke Nurseries President

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March 19 & 20 Gesneriad Plant Show & Sale Hosted by the Gesneriad Society Free & Open to the public!	March 19 Adding Rich Summer Blooms: Flowering Bulbs & Tubers FREE talk by Carol Allen	March 20 Brookside Gardens: The 2016 Rose Garden FREE talk by guest speaker Roger Haynes, Brookside Gardens Head Rosarian
March 26 Beautiful Spring Bloomers & Local Gardens to Visit FREE talk by Christopher Lewis	March 27 Planting a Fairy Area: Picking the Right Plants FREE talk by Carol Allen	April 2 Spring Open House Door prizes, special sales, free talks, free wine tasting & more!

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