Teresa's books are now available on Amazon! Click here to order!

What To Do In Your Backyard In March

Average temperature      High 79    Low 56

Rainfall 3.54 inches

Spring arrives: March 20th.

Move irrigation to 2x a week watering on Daylight Savings Time Day.

Time to plant

Vegetables: Bean, calabaza, cantaloupe, cassava, chayote, corn,  cucumbers, dasheen, eggplant, Jerusalem artichoke, jicama, luffa, malanga, New Zealand spinach, okra, pepper, pumpkin, southern peas, squash, tamarillo, tomato, and watermelon. 

Flowers: African daisy, ageratum, aster, azalea, bacopa, balsam, begonia, black-eyed Susan, blue daze, bush-daisy, celosia, cleome, coleus, coreopsis, cosmos, dahlia, Dahlberg daisy, daylily, diascia, dusty miller, four o'clock, gaillardia, gardenia, gazania, goldenrod, hibiscus, Hollywood Hibiscus™, impatiens, ixora, Joseph's coat, King’s mantle, licorice plant, marigold, melampodium, Mexican heather, million bells, moon vine, morning glory, New Guinea impatiens, nierembergia, pentas, plumbago, roses, salvia, strawflower, tithonia, torenia, verbena, vinca, Whirling Butterflies, and zinnia. 

Herbs: Anise, basil, bay laurel, borage, cardamon, chervil, chives, coriander, costmary, dill, fennel, ginger, lemon balm, sweet marjoram, Mexican tarragon, mint, oregano, rosemary, sage, thyme and watercress. 

Bulbs: Achimenes, African iris, African-lily, amaryllis, blood lily, bulbine, caladium, canna, crinum, crocosmia, dahlia, daylily, eucharis lily, gingers, gladiolus, gloriosa lily, Louisiana iris, rain lily, tuberose and walking iris.

Lawn Care

  • Winter weather has browned many lawns; they should regreen quickly this month.

  • Brown leaf blades do not have to be removed but can be raked out if you wish.

  • It’s seeding time for Bahia and Centipede lawns.

  • Get a soil test before fertilizing each Spring. 

  • UF AgriTech Soil Test Kit https://bit.ly/41N19B7

  •  St. Augustine, Bahia and Bermuda lawns are ready for a spring fertilizer application.

  • Delay feedings of centipede and zoysia lawns until they regreen in late March or April.

  • Identify weeds before using general herbicide.

  • Time for using pre-emergent herbicide products is over.

  • Apply separate herbicide for weeds if necessary. No need for weed and feed products.

  • Do not use glyphosate or other herbicides as an “edger.” Edge with garden edgers or spade.

  • Many weed control products cannot be used near trees and shrubs, check label restrictions.

  • Mow lawns at their normal height; there is no need to change blade height for spring. 

  • Hurry to remove patches of brown weeds and resod the areas.

  • Check for chinch bugs by using a hand-held vacuum cleaner. Apply insecticide if more than 20 chinch bugs are found.

  • Control fire ants in lawns; treat the entire lawn following label instructions.

  • Consider a substitute ground cover in areas smaller than 4’ wide, hard to mow, or problem areas where grass won’t grow.

  • Have lawn care equipment serviced; change oil, check air filters and sharpen blades. 

In the Landscape

  • Cold weather damaged many tender shrubs and perennials; do needed pruning this month. You can cut your shrub by ⅓ and not stress the plant too much. Water well before and after pruning.

  • Clear perennial plantings of debris and add new selections.

  • Control your landscape by trimming tree out of bounds shoots and limbs.

  • Wait to prune spring flowering shrubs until the blossoms fade.

  • No need to hack crape myrtles and commit ‘crape murder’. Remove only seed pods and twiggy portions smaller than little finger.

  • Consider needed tree trimming; have the work performed now before hurricane season.

  • Trim declining fronds and old flower stems from palms but leave any fronds that are green.

  • Complete pruning of bush-type roses; prune climbers when the spring blooms fade.

  • Trim and divide ornamental grasses before they begin spring growth.

  • Cool & warm seasons meet in March; continue to plant most cool and warm season flowers.

  • Add trees, palms, shrubs and vines to the landscape.

  • Water new plantings frequently until they grow roots into the surrounding soils.

  • Cool-season weeds are still growing; control before they become too plentiful.

  • Reapply mulch layers to bring mulch up to 3”.

  • Trim poinsettias to within 12” to 18” from ground and begin feedings.

  • Apply fertilizer to palms, shrubs and perennials.

  • Established shade and flowering trees normally do not need special feedings.

  • Check plants for scale insects and control with natural sprays as needed.

  • Water established plants only when they show signs of wilting or moisture stress

  • Divide and replant perennials.

  • Replant container gardens with spring flowers.

  • Divide outdoor orchids and begin every other week feedings with a diluted fertilizer solution.

  • Turn fallen leaves into compost or use as mulch.

  • Feed container gardens with a slow-release  fertilizer following label instructions.

  • Give power equipment a spring checkup.

  • Clean bird houses, bird baths and fountains.

  • Remove debris from water gardens and repot lilies. 

Vegetable and fruit care.

  • Early March is tomato, pepper, and eggplant planting time; set new plants in the ground.

  • Keep covers handy to protect cold sensitive crops until mid month.

  • Remove winter vegetables as they decline and plant warm season crops.

  • Select pest resistant varieties to avoid insect and disease problems.

  • Plant short rows every few weeks of seeded crops to extend the harvest season.

  • Use bush forming crops instead of vining types in crowded gardens.

  • Herbs flourish during the warmish weather; almost all do well now.

  • Garden pests including aphids, whiteflies and mites are active; use a natural control.

  • Spring growth is underway; complete all fruit tree pruning.

  • Prune cold damaged tropical fruits to remove brown leaves and declining stems.

  • Identify the type of grapes you are growing to obtain  proper pruning and care information.

  • Pineapples start flowering this month; maintain a good care program.

  • Feed all fruit bearing trees, shrubs and vines at this time.

  • Add new fruiting trees, shrubs, and vines to the landscape.

  • Select warm locations for new tropical fruits.

  • Maintain citrus tree vigor with the first of the new year feedings.

  • Apply a minor nutrient spray to citrus trees at each flush of new growth

  • Control Asian psyllids; apply an insecticide labeled for citrus at each flush of growth.

  • Add container herb and vegetable gardens to crowded landscapes.

  • Construct raised beds for easy maintenance.

  • Reapply mulch to fruit trees.

  • Fertilize vegetables lightly every 2 to 3 weeks or use a slow-release fertilizer.

  • Train vining vegetables to a trellis to save space.

  • Sprout sweet potatoes to produce transplants.

  • Install water conserving sprinklers in fruit and vegetable plantings. 

Foliage & indoor plants chores

  • Some foliage plants have been affected by the cold; trim and add more soil if needed.

  • Repot plants filling their containers with roots.

  • Replace declining plants with low light tolerant varieties.

  • Groom indoor plants to remove yellowing leaves and faded blooms.

  • Trim Christmas and holiday cactus and begin more frequent waterings and feedings.

  • Wash dust and pests from indoor plant foliage with a mild (not antibacterial) soapy solution.

  • Move orchids outdoors or to a bright area and begin every other week feedings.

  • Treat forced bulbs as temporary and add to compost pile when finished blooming.  

  • Check for mealy bugs, mites, and other pests. Treat according to label.

  • Visit your local independent nursery centers for new plant varieties.