10 Things to Do in Your Garden in March

March marks the official start of spring, and if you have a garden, it's the perfect time to prepare your green space for new growth and make the most of it. As the days get longer and brighter, we can enjoy spending more time outside. March is a month to say goodbye to the gloomy garden and welcome greenery back into your yard. Shoots start emerging from the soil, and buds appear on branches.

So, what should you do in your garden in March? Let's discover the tips, ideas, and suggestions for your landscape this month. From planting summer blooming bulbs to controlling pesky weeds, here are 10 things to do in March to get your spring garden in shape.

1. Plant Summer Flowering Bulbs

March is ideal for planting beautiful summer flowering bulbs in pots, hanging baskets, and borders, such as lilies, gladioli, and begonias. Planting them now will give them enough time to establish and bloom in summer. However, the weather can be unpredictable in March. Overall, temperatures start rising, but the soil is still cold, and we can have a few more frost mornings and nights. So, plant hardy yet gorgeous summer bulbs to avoid the risk.

2. Remove Weeds and other Plant Debris

One of the essential march garden chores is fighting weeds early while they are still in their pre-growth stage and before they become difficult to manage. If weeds are newly established in flower beds and borders, they can be easily removed using a hoe, or if they are deeply rooted, use a GardenBee weeder or garden shovel. Hand-held digging tools can make your weeding experience easier.

Avoid the close mowing of lawns and add mulch to your beds to keep weeds under control. Also, look for other weeds as they appear and remove them immediately.

Furthermore, during winter, dead leaves and branches can pack down your garden, creating a barrier to new growth and making it look dull. Rake leaves and all debris from your garden beds to allow the spring-flowering bulbs and perennials to grow through.

3. Prune Fruit Trees

Prune shrubs, apples, and other fruit trees. Prune out dead, wind-damaged, crossed, and diseased branches before trees come out of dormancy. Remove vertical branches to let sunlight reach the tree's interior. Don't worry about reducing your harvest because fruit is only produced on horizontal branches.

In addition, prune roses to promote stronger new growth. Prune overwintered fuchsias, winter-flowering jasmine, and early flowering varieties to encourage new growth.

Tip: Spray your trees after pruning with dormant oil spray to minimize insect pests organically.

Read More: How and When to Prune Fruit Trees

4. Fertilize Your Beds

Improve your soil and fertilize your garden beds to prepare them for the growing season. In March, plants are ready to enter a new growing season, so they need enough nutrients to stay strong and be less susceptible to pests or diseases.

Once the soil is workable, dig a layer of fresh compost or manure into your beds or containers. You can also add organic fertilizers such as chicken manure or fish and bone.

Fertilize ericaceous shrubs such as camellias, Pieris, azaleas, and rhododendrons with an ericaceous fertilizer. Feed them after they finish flowering.

5. Start Growing Vegetables from Seeds

In March, you can sow lettuce, radishes, spinach, peas, broccoli, and other cool-weather vegetables directly in your garden. These veggies can withstand the last cold days of March and April.

You can also plant warm-season veggies like tomatoes, peppers, and squash in frost-free regions. However, cover the crops with fabric or row cover if an unexpected cold spell occurs. If your last frost date is in February, you can start radishes, greens, lettuce, and green beans directly from seeds. If the last frost date is in March, you can plant almost all direct starter seeds in the ground, including beets, carrots, cucumbers, squash, kale, and warm-weather herbs.

6. Sow Tender Warm Season Crops Indoors

March is also an ideal time to start those tomato and chili seeds indoors so they can be ready for spring planting. Sow warm season crops such as squash, basil, melons, tomatoes, and eggplants indoors under grow lights to maximize their growth potential. This will give them 6 to 8 weeks to mature before you can transplant them in April. These crops are tender, meaning they are vulnerable to low temperatures, so it is best to start them indoors. As tender plants start to mature and temperatures rise, you can move them outside.

7. Plant Berries

Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries prefer an early spring start. You can plant them in containers, raised beds, or garden beds. They need full sun and well-drained soil to thrive. Berry bushes are abundant fruit producers. So, to enjoy your fruit and prevent letting birds eat them, add a fruit cage to your garden before planting berries. You can also plant berries in hanging baskets to keep them away from slugs.

Raspberries and strawberries are available in everbearing and June-bearing types. Everbearing varieties produce a small amount of fruit in summer, while June-bearing berries produce a single large crop in early summer. Plant both varieties to benefit from them over a longer period.

Learn how to grow strawberries and blueberries.

8. Transplant Indoor plants

If you started any cool season crops indoors last month, it's time to transplant them into garden beds once the frost threat has passed. These crops include kale, lettuce, cabbage, onion, Swiss chard, and mustard. Make sure to harden them as you start transplanting.

March is also an ideal time to transport your indoor plants into a larger pot with new, fresh soil. This is highly crucial if your plants are root-bound. When transplanting, you will see their roots come from pot drainage holes. If roots grow tightly, loosen them a little to promote new growth.

9. Mow the Lawn

In March, your lawn might have shown some new growth, and you need to give it the first cut of the year. Mow your lawn on a dry day and give it just a trim. Set your mower blades higher than usual. Cutting grass too short can make it vulnerable to frost damage and weeds.

Before cutting grass, remove lawn weeds, sticks, twigs, and other debris that have gathered there during winter. When clearing debris, check for any wildlife that could be hiding in your grass.

10. Check Irrigation System

Another important thing to do in March is to check your irrigation system to ensure it is working properly. In spring, your lawn and garden will need watering to grow, so this is a time to inspect your system. Look for broken sprinkler heads, connections, cracked pipes, leaks, clogged emitters, or irregular spray patterns that can lead to water wastage.

Repair all damaged components, fix broken fittings, and replace those that can't be fixed. Moreover, adjust your controller according to the weather and plants' needs so you don't water your garden during rain.

The Bottom Line

Spring is in the air, meaning there's plenty to do in your garden to prepare it for the year ahead. From tidying and fixing irrigation issues to preparing your raised garden beds and adding pops of color to your yard, this checklist will prepare you and let you enjoy nature after slower winter weather.

For more gardening tips and ideas, visit the Gardening Blog on our website.