This week in the garden:

Take a drive along the Blossom Trail. March is the time to put winter’s planning into action as spring comes to the garden.

Tasks

· Continue fruit-tree spraying and spray fungicide on apple and cherry trees.

· Weed by hand-pulling, hoeing, or if there is no alternative, apply herbicide on a calm day so that spray will not drift.

Pruning

· After bloom, prune spring‐flowering shrubs, trees, and vines to improve shape.

· Shear back ornamental grasses and ground covers such as lantana, verbena, Asian jasmine, and vinca.

· Shape hedges.

Fertilizing

• · Apply one third of the needed amount of fertilizer to deciduous fruit and nut trees.
• · Wait until after bloom to fertilize acid-loving plants and use a product formulated for them.
• · Fertilize blooming ornamental deciduous trees 2 or 3 weeks after bloom..

Planting

• · Sow seeds for summer vegetables. Although many vegetables can be planted this month, tomatoes, summer squash, and beans are better planted later in spring.
• · Annuals: impatiens, alyssum (Lobularia), plant from seed.
• · Bulbs, corms, tubers: tiger flower (Tigridia).
• · Fruits and vegetables: daikon, eggplant, melon, carrots, plant from seed.
• · Perennials: Lenten rose (Helleborus orientalis), coral bells (Heuchera), gayfeather (Liatris).
• · Trees, shrubs, vines: California lilac (Ceanothus), deodar (Cedrus deodara), redbud (Cercis occidentalis), citrus.

Enjoy now

·· Annuals and perennials: dianthus, Lenten rose (Helleborus orientalis).

· Bulbs, corms, tubers: grape hyacinth (Muscari), ‘Paper White’ narcissus.

· Trees, shrubs, vines: saucer magnolia, star magnolia.

· Fruits and vegetables: lettuce, onions, parsley, parsnips, peas.

Things to ponder

· Protect tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant from a late frost by using hot caps or floating row covers.

Drought tip:

· Automatic sprinklers should be turned off during periods of rainfall.