Plants in Flower:

Saucer Magnolia, Bradford Pear, Flowering Cherry,Forsythia, Star Magnolia, Japonica Camellia, Breath-of-Spring (winter honeysuckle), Spirea, Flowering Quince, Carolina Jessamine, Periwinkle, Thrift, Violets, Crocus, Daffodil, Hyacinths and Tulips.

What to Fertilize:

--Fertilize your important shade trees.
--Fertilize asparagus beds early in March before spear growth begins.
--Before planting your vegetables, fertilize your garden as recommended by your soil test results. Lime should have been applied in the autumn. If not, apply the recommended amount of lime now.

What to Plant:

--Plant a tree for Arbor Day! In North Carolina, Arbor Day is always the first Friday after March 15th.
--Plant your small fruit plants, grape vines and fruit trees before the buds break.
--March is a good month to transplant trees and shrubs.
--New shrubs and groundcovers can be planted the entire month of March.
--New rose bushes can be planted this month.
--Plant seeds of the following perennials: columbine, hollyhock, coreopsis, daisy and phlox.
--Plants of broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower should be set out in the garden in mid-March.
--The following vegetables can be planted this month: beets, carrots, Chinese cabbage, kale, kohlrabi, lettuce, Swiss chard, and turnips.
--Start any annual flowers that are not commercially available inside your home early in March.

What to Prune:

--Prune spring flowering plants like forsythia (yellow bells), spirea, breath-of-spring (winter honeysuckle) and flowering quince after the flowers fade.
--Prune roses early in the month before bud break.
--Prune shrubs like abelia, mahonia and nandina this month if needed.
--Pick off faded flowers of pansy and daffodils. Pansies will flower longer if old flowers are removed.

Pest Outlook:

--Check the following landscape shrubs for the following insect pests: camellia- tea scale, euonymus- scale, and juniper- spider mites. Treat if needed. Spray hybrid rhododendron for borers.
--Start your rose spray program just prior to bud break. Spray roses for black spot every 7 to 10 days until frost.
--Spray iris beds for iris borers starting in mid-March.
--Spray your apple and pear trees with streptomycin for control of fireblight. Pears MUST be sprayed.

Lawn Care:

--To control crabgrass in lawns, apply recommended pre-emergence herbicides to established turf in early March when the forsythia is in full bloom.
--Mow your tall fescue lawn as needed.

Propagation:

--Continue to divide perennials like daylily, shasta daisy and gaillardia this month. Cannas can also be divided in March.

Specific Chores:

--Check garden supplies like fertilizer, composted cow manure, insecticides and fungicides to see if you have adequate amounts before the spring rush.
--Check all garden equipment, lawn mowers, tillers, hedge trimmers, tools, hoses and sprayers to see if they are in fine working order before they are needed.
--Be certain that old plantings of perennials like peony, hollyhock and phlox are clean of last season's growth.