We’ve
had a few mild sunny days here in the Mid-Atlantic, and it’s easy to get
over-excited about Spring gardening. But the final frost date in our area is
May 15th, so it’s not quite time yet to go full tilt into digging and
planting. Still, if you’re eager to get out there and get your hands in the
dirt, here are a few things you can do in our area (Zone 7) in March.
- Turn and shape your beds
- Dig compost trenches and bury last
winter’s - Cut back perennials*
- Fertilize perennial beds, trees, and
shrubs - Rake paths and shred trimmings to create
mulch for later plantings - Clear areas to make new beds**
- Plant green manures, especially white
clover or buckwheat, to turn over in mid-May just prior to planting summer
annuals.
*Some notes on trimming perennials:
Remember
that with our Mediterranean herbs, like Lavender, Rosemary, and Thyme, you
should wait until the first green growth shows before trimming. These plants
will produce new leaves on old branches, so wait to look for dead wood until
later in the season.
Mints,
on the other hand, grow back from the root, so you can cut back old branches
and add these to your mulch or compost.
Nettles,
if you have them in your garden, make great compost for other plants, but be
careful to only use dried leaves and stems, root pieces will likely grow into
new Nettle plants! To be on the safe side, you can soak old Nettle plants in a
bucket of water for 2-3 days before adding them to other garden beds. Add the
water too, it’s great for the soil!
**If you’d like to know more about preparing garden beds, check out our blog post here.
If you’re as eager as I am to get the vegetable garden started, there are some annuals that can go in the ground now, despite the possibility of frost or late snow. I’ve grown kale and beets in all kinds of weather here, for instance, and peas are a favorite first vegetable of the year for many gardeners.
Vegetables that can be planted in March in Zone 7-8:
Beets, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, collard greens, kale, lettuce, mustard greens, onions, peas, potatoes, radishes, spinach, turnips.
For much more information, see this helpful chart from the University of Maryland College of Agriculture!
Most herbs prefer to wait until after the frost date to be planted out in the garden. You can start seeds indoors now to give them a head start or wait and buy plants in May. Some fall blooming flowers like chrysanthemums can be divided now.
If you don’t have a garden of your own, or aren’t quite sure where to start, you can join us in Smile’s garden on March 22 for a fun and informative class series with a Garden Educator. This series will continue through the growing season and culminate in a harvest share August 23rd.
**Live plants for sale will also return to Smile this spring, so stay tuned for an announcement!**
Happy
Gardening!
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