If you’re like us, you cannot wait to get outside and get gardening! The cool, damp weather has hung around too long, but there’s lots to do in preparation for blue skies ahead. Here’s what you need to get done this month.
Check out our March Garden Guide for more tips and remember that trees, shrubs, and perennials can be planted 12 months out of the year! The only difference is the amount of water they need depending on temperatures & wind!
1. Wrap Up Your Clean-Up
If you still have pruning and clean-up to do, there’s still a little time! Cool temps have delayed the burst of Spring growth a bit. Overwintered perennials like Lantana, Salvias, and Roses need pruning now – cut them back up to 50%.
2. Plant Your Fruits and Veggies
It’s time! We are thrilled to have a big healthy selection of Spring veggies and fruit trees this year. We haven’t seen peach and plum trees this nice in several seasons. One thing we recommend for all plantings, including veggies and fruit trees, is Nature’s Blend compost – the closest thing we’ve seen to ‘magic in a bag’! One bag can amend about 12 sq ft of clay or sandy soil.
3. Bring Back the Birds, Bees, and Butterflies!
Now is a great time to incorporate plants into your garden that attract & feed the birds, bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. They need your help finding food and shelter, and you need their help pollinating your blooming plants, increasing your veggie production, and eating bad bugs. Bees are drawn to most anything with a bloom but some fav’s are Gregg’s Mist Flower, Esperanza, & Lantana. Butterflies love Butterfly Weed, Salvias, & Mexican Flame Vine. Native plants like Turks Cap produce berries for birds, and Hummers love Duranta, Mexican Honeysuckle, & lots more!
4. Feed New Plants Now, Established Plants Soon
New plantings need a good start with a good organic plant food. We love BioTone, PlantTone, and Hastagro. Add BioTone to your soil when you plant, then use PlantTone once a month and supplement with Hastagro about every 2 weeks to continue feeding throughout the season. For established plants, wait to feed until they are actively growing – typically mid/late March or early April.
5. Flowers for Right Now
Nothing says Spring like planting flowers! The best choices this month are Petunias, Marigolds, Begonias, and Geraniums. These love the warm days and cool nights of our early Spring. Popular late Spring/Summer flowers like Vinca, Moss Rose, and Zinnias will start to arrive in April as temps stay warmer.
6. Apply Pre-emergent Now + Wait to Fertilize Lawns
Lawns are still mostly dormant and not yet actively growing. Now is the time to apply pre-emergent weed control before the weeds start growing. We recommend Dura Turf Crab Grass and Weed Preventer. Hold off on watering – water once a week at most, depending on rain. And wait to fertilize lawns until you see enough growth to mow your lawn regularly, typically late March/early April. We recommend Medina Growin’ Green or Gill Lawn and Garden Food.
Check out our March Garden Guide for more tips!
-Debbie
Ann says
are the esperanzas, plumbago and lantanas likely dead from the freeze?
James Gill says
Yes, likely dead to the ground. Cut off and they will probably regrow slowly. Or replace.
John says
Which health experts? The ones who are censored, or the ones who are doing the censoring.
Throughout history, can you think of a time when those who censor and silence people have been on the good side?
Virginie says
Thank you John, my thoughts exactly…
Kellie says
Thank you Gill’s Nursery for prioritizing the health of others. For those that feel oppressed by exercising the bare minimum of effort necessary to be a decent human being and contribute to decreasing the spread of a deadly virus – bless your heart. If you are unable to navigate the science supporting the wearing of masks – the education system failed you. I’m guessing you are going to lose your minds over HEB’s decision to require masks.
Virginie says
Thank you for the quality of your services, tips and products, but I must say that I am very disappointed that you don’t leave it up to your clients to choose for themselves to wear a mask or not.
Sally Gill says
I’m sure you know we are as anxious as everyone to be free of masks. As managers, we believe it is our responsibility to keep our staff and our customers as safe as possible. We are following the guidelines given by the health experts. Sally Gill
Virginie says
Joseph Mengele was also a scientist and I will go where I am free to breathe, as nature intended.
LANETTE S JOUBERT says
Do you know what a Mexican Oleander tree is and where I can get one?
James Gill says
Yes I know and like, we do not have any now, we will get them if they show up.
Cheryl says
Thanks. James!
james s gill says
Spinosad!
Cheryl says
What do you recommend to eliminate the little red bugs around my citrus trees?
Amadeo C Rodriguez says
What is the best method to treat for Asps in my Oak Trees?
james gill says
If they are still actively feeding, you can spray Thuricide on the foliage, and when they get a bite, they can eat more and die. Advantage that Thuricide will not harm any other organism such as beneficial insects, lizards, birds, etc. But if they have stopped eating, and are moving to more protected areas to pupate, the best option is Spinosad.
James Gill says
They CANNOT eat more, and die.
IRENE S. AMADOR says
Do you have anything that I can spray on Oak trees before cocoons & caterpillars start invading? These are from the moths. I’ve already seen some moths.
Thank you
IRENE S Amador
james gill says
Here is what I think is the safest method. Watch for caterpillar poop balls on concrete or decks, and when you first see them, spray trees in the evening with a Bacillus thuringiensis product. Come in to the nursery and they will fix you up. It will kill caterpillars that feed on the treated leaves, while not hurting you or birds feeding on the caterpillars, or cats, dogs, lizards, etc.
james says
I wish I had tomatos ands other vegetables, but I don’t. I blow the oak leaves off the deck and lawn and under my shrubs for a great moisture retaining, weed preventing mulch.