Coastal Region – Brad Fowler
- March normally brings with it a few warmer days, and it may be tempting to turn the irrigation on to make sure plants and turf are getting enough water, but try to remain conservative with irrigation. Too much water at the wrong times may cause problems in the landscape.
- While it is important not to overwater in early spring, March can be a good time to inspect irrigation systems to make sure they are working properly for the growing season.
- March is a great time to plant asparagus, broccoli, and potatoes, along with many other vegetables. With proper planning, the garden can produce vegetables almost year-round.
- Utilizing pre-emergent herbicides in March can help control weeds going into the summer, but be wary of using “weed and feed” combination products. Fertilizers containing nitrogen should be applied separately around May.
- Taking soil samples in early March should still allow enough time to add soil amendments before we get deep into the growing season.
- Keep an eye out for pests and diseases in the landscape. Many problems in the landscape can be easier to manage if they are caught early.
Broccoli planted in the garden.
Brad Fowler, ©2023, Clemson Extension
Irrigation system in need of serious maintenance.
Brad Fowler, ©2023, Clemson Extension
Midlands Region – Carmen Ketron
- Reinvigorate flowerpots and containers with early spring flowers. Even if you did not start bulbs last winter, you can purchase tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths in bloom from the store and plop them right into containers with a bit of trailing ivy and pansies for a beautiful display on the patio. Make sure to change the soil in the containers with fresh potting mix and water deeply the first few days to establish the newly transplanted plants and follow fertilization recommendations. A bit of mulch on the top of the container soil will help protect them from the odd chilly night and keep the potting soil from drying out.
- Decide what to prune and what not to prune. As shrubs start to green up, you can see the extent of damage from winter freezes. When the damage is visible, you can make intentional cuts to remove the three Ds, any branches or limbs that are dead, diseased, or damaged. Familiarize yourself with pruning techniques and identify spring and summer blooming shrubs before doing any general pruning.
- Repair and build out any hardscape and landscape beds. For example, conducting larger projects such as pond maintenance, mulching pathways, or building raised beds should be done before the heat of the growing season.
- The beginning of March is the time to put out pre-emergent herbicides for warm-season lawns. Depending on the type of turfgrass you have and the warm season weeds that popped up last year, you will want to determine a pre-emergent herbicide that is right for you and apply it in early March and then again eight weeks later.
Early spring container filled with stock and sweet alyssum.
Carmen Ketron, ©2023, Clemson Extension
Volunteers at Lake City Community Resource Center building a raised bed.
Carmen Ketron, ©2023, Clemson Extension
Preparing spring planter with new mixed soil is an important step to ensuring your flowering display thrives through the season.
Carmen Ketron, ©2023, Clemson Extension
Upstate Region- LayLa Burgess
- Year-round soil testing is available through the Clemson University Agricultural Service Laboratory. The number of soil samples received at the lab typically increases in the spring. Submit soil samples in early March if you missed doing it in the fall or winter for the upcoming growing season.
- Compost piles are less active during the cold winter. Now is a good time to kick things off and start composting again. Finished compost is a soil amendment. Lightly add compost to garden and landscape beds for the spring to increase soil organic matter as needed.
- With late winter, cool-season vegetables planted, it’s time to focus on spring gardening. Take advantage of the comfortable, warmer outdoor temperatures to monitor landscape plants for disease and insect pests. Early detection is key to managing plant problems.
- Gardeners in the Midlands and Coastal regions started seeds indoors for the spring garden in February. Now is the time for Upstate gardeners to begin sowing seeds indoors. Consult the planning a garden guide for outdoor planting dates to determine when to start seeds indoors.
- Lawn weeds, whether broadleaf or grassy, have different lifecycles. Identifying a particular weed’s life cycle is crucial to determining the proper weed control method. Lawns are currently littered with mature winter annual weeds in varying phases of flowering and seeding. With soil temperatures rising, warm-season annual weeds are beginning to germinate. Find useful lawn weed management information in the Clemson Extension publication, HGIC 2334, Lawn Weed Control Timing Chart.
Leaf mold is a source of organic matter that can be added to the garden and landscape beds.
LayLa Burgess, ©2023 Clemson Extension
Compost piles are less active during the cold winter.
LayLa Burgess, ©2023 Clemson Extension
This is Poa annua. Identifying a particular weed’s life cycle is crucial to determining the proper weed control method.
LayLa Burgess, ©2023 Clemson Extension
