Town & Country Gardens: March Gardening Projects

Great month for enjoying blooms of orchids; - do not forget to fertilize these for longer bloom time.

SUITABLE INDOOR PROJECTS TO UNDERTAKE IN MARCH

Sow herb seeds, such as basil, sorrel, chervil, parsley, chives, sage, thyme, savory, dill, marjoram, and other herbs, except lavender, rosemary, and tarragon.

Rosemary and lavender can be grown from seeds but for stronger plants, these are better propagated from cuttings. Tarragon seeds offered in stores are not recommended since these are always of Russian variety, not suitable for culinary purposes, and with no fragrance. French tarragon used in cooking does not produce seeds, these plants are propagated from cuttings. If no mother plant is available for propagation, acquire one from the local nursery.

Sow greens vegetable, legume seeds, such as bean, beet, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, cucumber, eggplant, kohlrabi, lettuce, leek, pepper, tomato, Swiss chard.

Sow flower seeds, such as ageratum, alyssum, aster, carnation, cosmos, dahlia, heliotrope, marigold, petunia, snapdragon, zinnia.

Root plants from cuttings, such as lavender, rosemary, santolina.

OUTDOOR GARDEN PROJECTS FOR MARCH

- Service garden tools and other equipment

- Prune dead, damaged or diseased limbs from perennial plants

- Get ready support cages and trellises for tomatoes, peas, cucumbers, and other vines

- Condition the soil with manure, lime, fertilizers, mulch

- Fertilize fruit trees, check timetable/spray fruit trees

- Fertilize and condition blueberries and other woodland plants. Apply acidity raising fertilizers such as ammonium sulfate, or iron sulfate, to make the soil more (not less) acidic. Do not over fertilize. Do it sparingly around the plant, as soon as plants are beginning to be in their growing season.

Back to Gardener's Pastimes in March page.