March 2008

Prepare for the upcoming battle with creeping Charlie. Spring is a great time to remove the weed manually with a rake or by hand. Winter temperatures weaken the roots. So in March, after the ground thaws, when the soil is moist and before new growth has started is the time to pull the weed before it becomes established.

Try asparagus in your vegetable garden. A bed of asparagus can last for 15 to 20 years. Asparagus can be planted as soon as the ground can be worked in the spring. Buy one-year old crowns from a local garden center or a mail order catalog. Purchase male plants because they will produce thicker, larger spears than female plants. Jersey Giant or Jersey Knight are productive varieties. Plant crowns six inches deep in 12 to 18 inch wide trenches. Space the crowns 9 to 12 inches apart and cover with two inches of soil. Fill the trench with soil as the plants grow taller. Do not harvest spears until the third year of growth. Wounds from pruning heal faster during this time.

March is a good time to prune trees and shrubs while they are dormant. Without leaves; it is easy to see the framework of the plant. Complete pruning before buds break. Wounds from pruning heal faster during this time. Shrubs that bloom in the spring like lilacs, spirea and forsythias should not be pruned. Pruning would remove flower buds. Prune right after they finish flowering.

Prepare your garden soil for planting. Dig or till the soil at least 8-12 inches deep. Do not dig soil when it is wet. Soil tilled when wet will dry into clods of concrete. Check soil before digging by squeezing a handful in your hand. If it crumbles easily between your fingers, go ahead and dig, but if it stays in a ball, allow the soil to dry an additional couple of days.

After purchasing an Easter lily place it in bright, indirect light. Remove the yellow anthers from the flower. Pollen from the anthers can stain the white flower and can stain clothes. Cool nighttime temperatures of 50 to 55 F will prolong the bloom time. Keep the soil moist. After the flowers wither, place the plant in a sunny window until after danger of frost. Choose a sunny spot in the garden and plant the bulb a few inches deeper in the soil than it was planted in the container. Fertilize with an all-purpose garden fertilizer and water. Soon new shoots will grow and it should flower again in July or August.

Avoid damping off disease when starting seeds. This fungus disease kills plants at the soil line causing them to collapse. Use a sterile soil medium. Sterilize pots and containers in a 10 percent bleach solution. Sink the containers in the solution for a few minutes and rinse with water. Keep the temperature around 65-70 degrees F for best germination and provide bottom heat if possible.  Most of all, avoid over watering. Allow the soil to dry before watering and always drain saucers under containers after watering.