The Almanac
Average temperature: High 79, Low 56
Daylight saving time returns March 8 | Spring arrives March 20
Rainfall: 3.54 inches
1. Moon phases
Full moon: March 3
Last quarter: March 11
New moon: March 18
First quarter: March 25
2. Moon sign planting dates
Above-ground crops: 2, 3, 4, 21, 22, 25, 26, 30, 31
Below-ground crops: 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18
Control weeds and pests: 14, 15, 16, 23, 24
Prune trees and shrubs: 1, 9, 10, 11, 19, 20, 27, 28, 29
Time to plant
3. Vegetables: Through midmonth plant beets, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, celery, collards, endive, kohlrabi, lettuce, mustard, peas, potatoes, radishes, Swiss chard and turnips. After midmonth plant beans, cantaloupe, corn, cucumbers, eggplant, luffa, peppers, pumpkins, squash, tomatoes and watermelon
4. Flowers: African daisy, ageratum, alyssum, bacopa, balsam, begonia, black-eyed Susan, blue daze, bush-daisy, celosia, cleome, coreopsis, cosmos, dahlia, dahlberg daisy, diascia, dusty miller, four o’clock, gaillardia, geranium, goldenrod, impatiens, Joseph’s coat, licorice plant, marigold, melampodium, million bells, moon vine, morning glory, nierembergia, salvia, strawflower, torenia, verbena, vinca and zinnia
5. Herbs: Anise, basil, bay laurel, borage, cardamon, chervil, chives, coriander, costmary, dill, fennel, ginger, lemon balm, sweet marjoram, Mexican tarragon, mint, oregano, rosemary, sage, thyme and watercress
6. Bulbs: Achimenes, African iris, African lily, amaryllis, blood lily, bulbine, caladium, canna, crinum, crocosmia, dahlia, daylily, eucharis lily, gingers, gladiolus, gloriosa lily, Louisiana iris, rain lily, tuberose and walking iris
Lawn care
7. Browning of lawns is normal after a freeze; most should recover with normal care.
8. Fertilize lawns as new growth begins; wait to fertilizer zoysia and centipede lawns until April.
9. Fill bare or declining spots with sod, plugs or seed.
10. Rake out brown blades or allow the grass to outgrow winter damage.
11. Mow lawns at normal height and allow clipping to remain in place.
12. Dethatch zoysia lawns and mow them no higher than two inches.
13. Some lawns yellow after a fertilizer application; apply an iron or minor nutrient product.
14. Weed-and-feeds can be substituted for fertilizer-only products; follow the label for your lawn.
15. Many weeds died during cold; rake out and fill with new sod or plugs.
16. Crabgrass is germinating; use of a preemergence for this weed may be of little value.
17. Learn to tell a grassy weed from sedge which has a triangular stems and is very controllable.
18. Chinch bugs were not eliminated by the cold; if needed apply a control.
19. Mole crickets can affect bahia, bermuda and zoysia lawns; learn to identify and control.
20. Lawn aeration can help water penetrate dry areas and compacted soils.
21. Water turf separately from trees, shrubs and other plantings
22. Water only when the grass begins to wilt.
23. New watering rules begin March 8 in most areas with the arrival of daylight saving time.
24. Consider a substitute ground cover in hard to mow or problem areas where grass won’t grow.
25. Service lawn care equipment to have it ready for spring.
In the landscape
26. Damage to shrubs depends on the plant, location and protection provided.
27. If sprinklers ran during the freeze, plant injury may be most severe.
28. Prune out dead or declining plant portions as needed.
29. Many plants are dead to the ground but could grow back if given time.
30. Cold-sensitive palms have been severely affected; give them time to recover.
31. Remove dead fronds from damaged palms but leave the buds and apply a copper fungicide.
32. Apply a spring feeding to palms, shrubs and perennials.
33. Establish shade and flowering trees normally do not need a special feeding.
34. Even though it has been cold, don’t expect insects to take a break; check regularly for pests.
35. Spring is our dry time: Water when plants show signs of wilting or moisture stress
36. Prune spring-flowering shrubs when the blossoms fade.
37. Remove tree and shrub portions blocking walkways and competing with nearby plantings.
38. Consider needed tree trimming; have the work performed before hurricane season.
39. Complete crape myrtle pruning by removing seed pods and twiggy portions.
40. Divide and replant perennials.
41. Complete pruning of bush-type roses; prune climbers when the spring blooms fade.
42. Replant container gardens with spring flowers.
43. Add holiday plants to the landscape or foliage plant collections.
44. Trim and divide ornamental grasses before they begin spring growth.
45. Prune young shade trees to a straight trunk that forms a central leader.
46. Add trees, palms, shrubs and vines to the landscape.
47. Check azalea planting sites for the proper acidity and adjust the pH if needed.
48. Divide outdoor orchids and begin every-other-week feedings with a fertilizer solution
49. Turn fallen leaves into compost.
50. Replenish mulch layers usually only a light top-dressing is needed.
51. Feed container gardens with a liquid fertilizer or slow-release product.
52. Add or repair birdhouses before spring nesting.
53. Maintain water gardens and repot lilies.
54. Clean bird baths and fountains.
55. Repair fences and remove mold from hardscape features.
Vegetable and fruit care
56. Unprotected warm season crops have been severely damaged and should be removed.
57. Cool season crops show varying degrees of damage, but most should continue growth.
58. Early March is tomato, pepper and eggplant planting time; set new plants in the ground.
59. Many tropical fruits are heavily damaged; prune back into green wood and wait to recover.
60. Some tropical fruits are dead to the ground and should be replaced.
61. Renew banana and papaya plantings by removing brown leaves and severely damaged trunks.
62. Feed citrus and other fruit bearing trees, shrubs and vines.
63. Add new fruiting trees, shrubs and vines to the landscape.
64. Complete the pruning of grape plantings before they flower.
65. Add container herb and vegetable gardens to crowded landscapes.
66. Add a mulch to all but citrus plantings.
67. Fertilize vegetables every two to three weeks.
68. Train vining vegetables to a trellis to save space.
69. Harvest and dry herbs for future use.
70. Pineapple plants if protected from cold should bloom in March and ripen fruits in August.
Foliage and houseplant care
71. Severely damaged foliage plants in cold locations may recover from lower stems or buds.
72. Remove frozen or declining portions from all cold-affected foliage plants.
73. Groom indoor plants to remove yellowing leaves and faded blooms.
74. Trim the ends of holiday cactus and begin more frequent waterings and feedings.
75. Replace declining indoor plants with low-light tolerant varieties.
76. Move orchids outdoors or to a bright area and begin feeding every other week.
77. Disinfect and wash used containers.
78. Treat forced bulbs as bouquets but keep the pots.
79. Check for mealy bugs, mites and other pests; apply natural sprays as needed.
80. Trim and move lanky indoor plants into higher light or outdoors.
Tom MacCubbin is an urban horticulturist emeritus with the University of Florida Cooperative Extension Service. Write him: Orlando Sentinel, P.O. Box 2833, Orlando, FL. 32802. Email: TomMac1996@aol.com.
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