By Gail Cocker, Master Gardener, SCMG
For Canadian Hardiness Zones 4 and 5
March is here and I’m impatient to get outdoors and start working on my garden. However, I know that being overly keen has a cost. Wet soil is easily compacted and I need to give it some time to dry out before I walk on it. As well, I really need to wait for a string of days above 10 degrees to give all those beneficial insects that overwintered in the debris on my garden beds time to wake up and move on before I rake.
Some chores for March;
- Plant flower and vegetable seeds indoors
- Prune fruit trees until spring buds swell. Choose a day above freezing. (Maple and birch should not be pruned until they leaf out)
- Remove winter protection from shrubs and evergreens, on an overcast day to lessen the chance of sun scorch
- If you didn’t store your tools properly for winter now is the time to clean off and sharpen metal blades. Sand and apply linseed oil to wooden handles. Take the lawn mower in for servicing and blade sharpening.
- Disinfect your bird feeders by scrubbing with a weak bleach solution (1/4 cup bleach in 2 gallons water), rinse and dry before re-filling. Clean old nest debris from bird houses with a stiff brush and spritz with bleach solution and let dry before closing up
- Dig up any root vegetables left in the garden over winter. If the soil is still wet, put boards down to walk on
- Apply corn gluten meal after snow melts to control dandelions and crab grass
