- Finish planting bare-root plants in the garden. They should be planted before they begin to leaf out with the warming weather.
- Finish pruning deciduous dormant plants such as fruit trees, grapes and cane berries before they leaf out. Prune fuchsias at the end of this month, leaving two swelling leaf buds on each pruned branch.
- Fertilize roses when they begin to leaf out. Fertilize camellias, azaleas and rhododendron with an acid fertilizer.
- Fertilize citrus trees with a high-nitrogen fertilizer that includes iron. An iron deficiency produces chlorosis, which manifests as yellowing leaves (with green veins) and is frequently observed in Bay Area citrus.
- Fertilize bluegrass, fescue and rye lawns lightly with lawn fertilizer.
- Shape up uneven azalea growth after the azaleas finish blooming.
- Discard the spent blooms of withered rhododendron flowers, taking care not to injure the growth just below the flower.
- Let daffodil bulbs recharge by leaving the leaves attached to the bulb to provide nourishment for next year's bloom. Let foliage wither and yellow.
- Weed now before their roots get strong or, worse, they set seed. Dig out bulb-forming weeds such as oxalis and nutsedge.
- Pest control means eliminating snails and slugs now before they damage plants.
- Annual labors of love include planting annuals such as ageratum, cosmos, impatiens, lobelia, marigold, pansies, petunias and violas. You can mix them in with the perennials to extend the blooming period. Plant perennials such as achillea, campanulas, columbine, geranium and marguerites. Plant summer bulbs such as gladiolus, dahlias and lilies. Begonias from bulbs are also planted now.
March 1, 2013
March Gardening Punch List
Adapted from SFGate:
