Coastal Region- Brad Fowler
- Even though March may bring about warmer temperatures, it’s important to hold off on fertilizing lawns. Waiting until late April – early May to begin fertilization will help ensure the lawn is ready to utilize the fertilizer being applied.
- Just like fertilization, it is important to be patient with watering until the lawn needs it. Take a conservative approach and only water when necessary. This also applies to the other plants in the landscape. Overwatering, especially at the wrong times, can lead to poor plant growth, disease, and possible death of the plant.
- Preemergence herbicides applied in early March can help prevent warm-season weeds in the lawn and landscape.
- Keep an eye out for fungal diseases on newly emerging leaves. Fungicides work best as a preventative measure. So, it’s important to treat early to reduce the spread of fungal problems.
- Finish any pruning of trees, shrubs, and ornamental grasses in early March before they start putting on new growth. Make sure to look up the specific pruning needs of each plant since pruning times may vary even in plants of the same species.
- Get started on the spring garden by planting peas, broccoli, potatoes, and many other vegetables that can go in the ground early in the season.
Some vegetables like broccoli can be planted in March.
Brad Fowler, ©2025, Clemson Extension
Do any necessary pruning, like taking out dead branches in late winter.
Brad Fowler, ©2025, Clemson Extension
Midlands Region- Jennifer Weaver
- Trees – Looking for a stunning, small, flowering tree as an accent in the landscape? Try one of these!
- Star magnolia (Magnolia stellata). Its average height is 15 to 20 feet, and it is the earliest of the deciduous magnolias to flower. This tree gets its common name from the many white to slightly pink, strappy petals comprising its flowers. The flowers are slightly fragrant and appear before the leaves. Although subject to freeze damage due to its early bloom, Star Magnolia is a fine choice due to its excellent pest and disease resistance. Note: there are late-blooming varieties such as ‘Waterlily’.
- ‘Okame’ cherry (Prunus x incamp ‘Okame’) has delicate rosy-pink flowers which appear earlier and last longer than most ornamental cherries. It is a nice small-scale specimen tree (20 to 25 feet) with attractive, smooth, reddish-bronze bark and handsome yellow, orange, and red fall color. It blooms from February into early March.
- Consider planting one of these lovely understory trees mentioned above for National Arbor Day on the last Friday in April! Choose one now while they are still in bloom at your local plant nursery.
- Avoid topping crape myrtles! Occasional structural pruning may be needed to selectively remove rubbing or crossing branches, thin the canopy to improve air circulation or remove suckers at the base to reveal its beautiful trunk structure and bark. Structural pruning should be done when the crape myrtles are young to prevent future problems. Read more from the ISA (International Society of Arboriculture) on why topping is bad for trees. Select a variety that fits your space, so topping is not necessary.
- Are you searching for an early blooming ground cover? Extend your bloom time from early spring into summer by incorporating three different types of native phlox in your landscape.
- Moss phlox or creeping phlox (Phlox subulata) is an evergreen, perennial ground cover 4 to 6 inches tall which spreads above ground by prostrate stems to 2 feet wide. Flowers (¾ inch wide) cover the plant in early spring and are available in shades of white, pink, lavender and blue, depending on the cultivar. Moss phlox thrives in full sun and blooms in early to mid-spring.
- Woodland phlox (Phlox divaricata) is an herbaceous perennial wildflower growing approximately 6 inches to 1 foot tall and is a great nectar source for insects and hummingbirds. It prefers partial to full shade and blooms from spring until summer.
- Carolina phlox (Phlox carolina) is an upright phlox reaching 2 to 3 feet tall. It is naturally found along woodland edges and is a great selection for the landscape as it is fragrant and attracts butterflies and hummingbirds. Carolina phlox thrives in partial shade to full sun and blooms in summer and intermittently until fall.
- Spring blooming bulb care – The foliage should not be removed until it has turned brown and withered. Do not tie or braid the foliage. This reduces the leaf area exposed to sunlight, causing the leaves to make smaller amounts of food. The foliage performs a vital function as it supplies food for the underground bulb. The bulb must store the proper amount of food to bloom the following spring.
- Try one of these early blooming bulbs!
- Snowflakes (Leucojum spp.) – _These bulbs are in the amaryllis family and have 2 to 3 strap-like leaves reaching 10 inches tall. The flower is a delicate white, pendant-shaped flower with six tepals with green markings. Tepal is the term to describe when the sepals (usually the green part that supports the flower) and petals (the colorful part of the flower we admire) look the same. In this case, they are both white.
- Crocus hybrids (Crocus sp.) – _The petite crocus (< 6 inches) is in the iris family and has sweetly fragrant blooms that carpet the ground with many single-colored, bicolored, or striped flowers of white, purple, yellow and orange. They are the first to pop through the soil in the spring. Crocus are corms rather than a bulb. Plant different varieties to extend bloom time from spring to early summer. Fun Facts: corms are solid tissue, but a bulb is comprised of layers of immature leaves. Crocus will close their flowers at night and on cloudy days!
- Pruning ornamental grasses – cut back the winter foliage and seed heads within a few inches of the ground before new growth begins and divide if needed. Tip: wrap a bungee cord or rope around the clump (before you prune) to cinch up the debris for easy cleanup.
- Prune ground covers such as liriope and mondo grass before new growth emerges.
‘Okame’ cherry (Prunus x incamp ‘Okame’) has delicate rosy-pink flowers which appear earlier and last longer than most ornamental cherries.
Jennifer Weaver, ©2025, Clemson Extension
Star magnolia (Magnolia stellata) gets its common name from the many white to slightly pink, strappy petals.
Jennifer Weaver, ©2025, Clemson Extension
Upstate Region- Briana Naumuk
- Soil testing is available year-round through the Clemson University Agricultural Service Laboratory. If you haven’t submitted your samples yet, do so in early March for the upcoming growing season. Soil samples can be dropped off at your local extension office.
- Now is a good time to start composting again since compost piles are less active during the winter. Apply finished compost to gardens and landscape beds for the spring. Compost will increase the soil organic matter.
- Replace or add mulch throughout the landscape in locations where it has thinned or washed away or in an area that needs a new look. When applying mulch, be sure to apply it no more than 2-3 inches deep. Be sure to keep the mulch away from the base of landscape plants and walls.
- It is time to start sowing seeds indoors here in the Upstate. For more information on how long specific seeds need before transplanting, see HGIC 1259, Starting Seeds Indoors. Consult the planning a garden guide for transplant dates.
- All lawn weeds have different lifecycles. Identifying a weed’s lifecycle is important to determining the proper control method. Currently, mature winter annuals are in lawns. With soil temperatures beginning to rise, warm-season annuals will be emerging soon. For more information, see HGIC 2334, Lawn Weed Control Timing Chart.
- This is the time for proper cane removal of blackberries before new spring growth.
Common chickweed is a low, spreading, winter annual weed that germinates when we receive lots of cool, wet weather.
Barbara H. Smith, ©2022, Clemson Extension
The finished compost beneath this mesh bin is dark and crumbly.
Tufts University
