It’s About Thyme
by CHRIS WINSLOW
(Part one of a two part series)
With all the recent rains and fantastic early-spring weather, this is the time for gardeners to launch the big gardening and landscape activities for the year. These first few weeks are good to use to finish up some of last month’s chores and, coming next week we’ll explore activities for the latter part of March.
1. Cut back roses and shape your shrub roses. Those tall bushes can be trimmed to 1 ½ to 2 feet in height with open centers. Use a sharp pair of pruners and a good pair of leather gloves. Climbing roses should be left un-pruned until after their spring bloom. March is also a good time to add roses to the landscape.
2. Care for fruit trees. There is still plenty of time to spray wintering insects with dormant oil. Pruning to open up the centers will help to reduce disease problems with better air flow. Added sunlight will help to ripen and color the fruit. A few ideas of additions to your orchard: peaches, pears, plums, nectarines, figs, cherries, apples, pomegranates and persimmons.
3. Tend vegetable garden. The first half of the month is the right time to plant potatoes, asparagus crowns, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, mustard and collard greens, carrots, radishes, Swiss chard and lettuce.
4. Care for lawn. Before those summer weeds begin to grow, cover the lawn with organic, pre-emergent corn gluten. Early March is a great time to cut the lawn close and aerate if the soil has become compacted. A quarter to half inch top dressing of manure-based compost like Dillo Dirt will go a long way to revitalize turf grass with nutrients, microbes and beneficial bacteria. If the soil below the turf grass is poor, aeration and Dillo Dirt will work wonders. As a top dressing, Dillo Dirt mixed with a little sand can help to level off the low places.
For the second half of the month, with the last average frost date is behind us, we can shift to warm season gardening. Tune in next week for gardening tips for mid-to late March weather.
Happy gardening everyone!
If you have a question for Chris, send it via email to [email protected]. Or mail a postcard to It’s About Thyme: 11726 Manchaca Road, Austin, TX 78748 www.itsaboutthyme.com
