5 Reasons to Start Gardening in March
Essential cleanup, weeding, and pruning makes for a successful garden for the whole year.
Gardening is a wonderful way to take in the energizing sunrays and get the body moving after a two-month hibernation. But health is not the main reason to get out in your garden in March or even late February. Starting early in the season, in March, is the perfect time to get ahead of garden maintenance, pruning, and plan for a successful season. In this article, we will discuss why starting gardening in March is crucial to stay on top of gardening for the whole season, and what specific tasks should be done during this time of the year.
1.Clean winter debris
April is full of its own, important tasks. Starting your garden maintenance in March helps you to get on top of gardening for the rest of spring. In April, it's all-hands-on-deck for weeding, applying fertilizer or compost, and transplanting or reorganizing beds. We can't be busied with the extra debris cleanup that should have happened in March. There's not enough time, and we fall behind on important work. By cleaning and weeding your garden early on, you can prevent weeds and pests from taking over your garden and reduce the amount of maintenance work you need to do later in the season.
2. Dormant pruning for healthy growth
Dormant pruning is the process of pruning trees and shrubs before they start to grow in the spring. It helps to promote healthy growth and can prevent the spread of diseases. In April, many pathogens that will attack fresh, sap-filled cuts are ready and willing to make your late, heavy pruning a challenge. Woody plants such as fruit trees, roses, and deciduous shrubs should be pruned while dormant. This is during late winter and early spring. With cuts made in March, the cut will have dried, and healing tissues can begin to grow over the wound. Avoid unnecessary fungal and insect damage with March gardening.
Ruth and Neil enjoy late winter pruning on one of their first jobs as Atzinger Gardens. These crabs near the center of Saline received a thoughtful, timely pruning that opened up the tree for health and beauty.
3. Identify and control early-season weeds
Weeds are a significant threat to a healthy, beautiful garden, and some weeds start to establish themselves early in the season. Weeds such as chickweed, henbit, and dandelions germinate in the fall and start to grow in early spring. Annual weeds like chickweed, crabgrass, knotweed, lambs-quarters, purslane, and speedwell start to germinate very early. These weeds can quickly spread and take over your garden, so it's important to identify and control them early on.
4. Plan for a more beautiful garden.
Early spring is the perfect time to plan for a more beautiful garden. You can start by assessing your garden layout and deciding what plants you want to add. Research the plants that you would like to add, and make a list of what you need to buy. By starting early, you can take advantage of early-season sales and ensure that you get the plants you want before they sell out. When you work with Atzinger Gardens early in the season, it affords us time to get your project on the schedule at just the right time.
With a plan already in place, we are ready to get aggressive with dividing Siberian irises.
5. Save time and effort in the long run
By getting on top of gardening in March, you can save time and effort in the long run. Preventing weeds and pests from taking hold early on can reduce the amount of time and effort you need to spend on garden maintenance later in the season. This gives you more time to enjoy your garden and relax in your outdoor space.
