Coastal Region- Glen Payne
Irrigation systems can now be turned on to perform annual audits before spring officially arrives.
Controllers found in the OFF position should be turned ON as ground temperatures warm up & plants begin taking up water and start to actively grow.
- Complete an irrigation system audit/run-through after an annual soil test is completed & before spring fertilizer/amendments are added to the soil. Or adding new sod and plants.
- Inspect rotors, pop-up sprays, drip, & micro-sprays for cracks, clogged nozzles, leaky bases, stuck springs, & missing/ mower damage. Replace & adjust parts as needed.
- Inspect the battery in the back of the irrigation face plate for corrosion, replacing it annually.
- Verify that the controller displays the correct time, date, year, and AM/PM settings.
- Cover exposed PVC & drip tubing with mulch or soil to prevent deterioration by the sun’s UV rays.
- Double-check that the controller is in the ON position after testing.
- Turn the irrigation system ON manually and verify that the rain sensor is cutting the system OFF and coming back ON as advertised.
- The irrigation system will require ongoing maintenance throughout the year.
For more information, see:
HGIC 1801, Landscape Irrigation Management Part 2: Determining When to Irrigate
HGIC How to Set and Calibrate Your Irrigation System
A gear-drive or rotor sprinkler in operation.
Bryan Smith, ©2021, Clemson Extension
Make sure irrigation zones are focused on turf areas to limit runoff loss.
Adam Gore, ©2019, Clemson Extension
Midlands Region- Jackie Jordan
- Celebrate spring by freshening up or putting together some new container plantings. Tulips, daffodils, and other budding spring bulbs can be found at garden centers. Pansies, Sweet William, Icelandic poppies, stock and other hardy annuals thrive in cooler temperatures. Sweet alyssum is one of my favorite cold-tolerant annuals to add to flower beds and containers.
- Paperwhites and amaryllis that were forced indoors can be planted in the ground towards the end of the month after the last spring freeze.
- Don’t forget to purchase some tender annual flower seeds. Zinnias, cosmos, cleome, and celosia are great flowers to add to the landscape if you would like to start a cutting garden. Seeds should be started six to eight weeks before the last frost date to have transplants ready.
- Looking to add some more permanent color to your landscape? Candytuft, moss phlox, ‘Homestead Purple’ verbena are great early spring blooming choices for full sun areas. For shade, add lenten rose, primrose, and coral bells.
- Star Magnolias, redbuds, flowing apricot, flowering plum, and flowering cherry trees can be added to the landscape for early spring blooms.
- Carrots, radishes, lettuce, mustard greens, spinach, and “Packman” broccoli can be planted for a quick spring crop.
- Start pepper, tomato, and eggplant seeds if you haven’t already- they need about 6-8 weeks before they will be ready to transplant out into the garden. Start sweet potato slips for transplanting in May.
- March is a great time to repot phalaenopsis orchids and other house plants. If you do not need to repot your houseplants, top-dress them with ¼ -inch of compost. Note: succulents and cacti require excellent drainage, so adding compost could lead to root rot.
- If you move your house plants outside or have overwinter tender annuals, begin to acclimate them to the outdoors by putting them in a shady location. Remember to bring them in if temperatures dip below 50°F.
- Winter weeds are become noticeable in the landscape. Be careful with post-emergent herbicide applications. Be sure to read the label fully before using an herbicide in your landscape.
- For control of crabgrass and other summer weeds, pre-emergent herbicides should be put out once we receive 5 consecutive days of 70°F weather. For pre-emergent herbicides to be effective, they need to be watered in with 1/2-inch of water. Calibrate your sprinkler to determine your system’s output.
- Tall fescue lawns should be fertilized with 1 pound of actual nitrogen per 1000 square feet before March 15th if a February application was missed. Do not fertilize warm-season lawns.
- Freshen up landscape beds with mulch. A 3-inch layer is best for weed control. Remember, over 4 inches of mulch can limit soil oxygen and damage trees and shrubs.
Early spring flowering container.
Jackie Jordan, ©2024, Clemson Extension
Early spring floral arrangement of flowering apricot, camellias, Lenten rose, and anemone.
Jackie Jordan, ©2024, Clemson Extension
Star Magnolia (Magnolia stellata) flowers before the leaves emerge.
Jackie Jordan, ©2024, Clemson Extension
Double-flowering Plum (Prunus x blireiana) in bloom. It is a cross between a Japanese apricot and a purple leaf plum.
Jackie Jordan, ©2024, Clemson Extension
Taylor’s Perfection camellia in bloom.
Jackie Jordan, ©2024, Clemson Extension
Upstate Region- LayLa Burgess
- It’s time to plant garden peas in the late winter garden. Garden peas include English peas, snap peas, and snow or sugar peas. The seasonal shift is almost here, so prepare for the spring planting dates to produce a bountiful harvest. Install raised beds for vegetable gardens if your clay soil is too compact this year.
- Build or spruce up an existing compost bin before the spring garden season “kicks off.” Compost is a soilless amendment; it is not soil—proper composting results in a usable form of organic matter (OM). OM, as we like to call it, improves soil health and plant productivity. When producing compost, analyze the finished product as a soilless media. The Agricultural Service Laboratory offers compost analysis in addition to soil testing.
- 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.
- A clean, smooth cut to turfgrass blades makes a difference when mowing. Sharpen lawnmower blades, if needed, in anticipation of the spring green-up of dormant warm-season lawns. Sharpen and oil pruning tools appropriately.
Improper storage of pruning tools during the winter.
LayLa Burgess, ©2024, Clemson Extension
- It’s time to put those pruning tools to work. If not annually pruned in February, prune muscadine grapes by March. For more information, see Video on How to Prune Muscadine Grapes.
- After removing debris, check that the trellis is tight for another season’s growth. Healthy muscadine grapes produce generous vines and foliage during the growing season; this new growth can be heavy. Support structures need to be secure.
Annual pruning keeps over-grown muscadines productive and prevents the trellis from sagging due to excess weight.
LayLa Burgess, ©2024, Clemson Extension
- Proper cane removal for dormant blackberries and blueberries happens before new growth in spring, too.
- Fruit tree care is essential. First, remove dead, diseased, or damaged limbs when pruning any woody plant. Then, move on to appropriately timed pruning strategies that promote new growth and fruit production. The appropriate pruning strategy and timing vary with fruit tree type and age. Nevertheless, get an early start on monitoring for disease and pest insect issues as fruit trees begin to bloom and leaf out. Treatment options are available within this applicable for SC publication, Insect and Disease Management for Home-Grown Fruits and Nuts.
- Check your hostas; it could be time to divide plants before the leaves unfold. Dig, divide, and transplant hostas into new areas of the landscape. Use recently sharpened tools when making divisions, and wear gloves to protect your hands.
Neglected hostas may need dividing if found in tight, overgrown clusters.
LayLa Burgess, ©2024, Clemson Extension
- Soil and air temperatures are pushing towards spring. There’s a chance snails and slugs are on the move in the landscape. Plants look tattered and appear unsightly as slug damage to foliage increases. Remove snails and slugs from plants by hand-picking, then choose to relocate or dispose of them. Consider cultural and mechanical options for control before chemical control.
This is an anole, not a snail or slug. You may see anoles “sunning” on warm days. Anoles assist the gardener by eating small slugs and various insects.
LayLa Burgess, ©2024, Clemson Extension
