March Gardening Calendar

MARCH GARDEN SCHEDULE FOR NEW YORK CITY (Council on the Environment)

INDOORS. Reseed those rows that have not germinated in your seedling flats. Fertilize those flats that have germinated and place them in a moist, warm sunny location. The environment you are trying to create is that of a New York City spring. If you wish to grow midget melons, now is the time to start them from seed. Other warm/hot species that should get a head start now include:  Asters, Phlox, Nicotiana

Flowers you may want to start now include Ageratum, Chinese Asters, Calendulas, Dahlias, Balloon Vines and Cleome (Spider flower). You want to be sure to give your seedlings enough light once they have germinated; otherwise you get tall, weak, leggy stems that will have a hard time in the wind once transplanted outdoors.

Seedlings:  In preparation for transplanting you will want to harden off the seedlings. This is accomplished by watering less for a week prior to the time you have planned to start exposing them to outside conditions. The seedlings need to adjust slowly to wind, cooler temperatures and air pollution. It is a good idea to set the seedling flat in a wind-protected place outside when the temperatures are above 50 degrees. Cool-weather plants/crops can tolerate exposure to lower temperatures. Watch the weather carefully while your plants are adjusting outside. A sudden downpour could flatten your seedlings, gusty winds and flying litter could break the stems, and a sudden hot spell could dry out your rooting medium. Worst of all you could lose all your seedlings to a sudden frost. Be prepared to either whisk your seedlings indoors, cover them with hot caps or prepare and have handy a frost cover like a cardboard box with a breathing hole or two. Depending on the weather, you may harden off by gradually exposing the seedling to more and more hours outside. If you do use peat pots or Jiffy-7’s remove the plastic mesh or peat before planting in the ground. You will find that seedlings in these containers may dry out faster and thus need more frequent watering. Experiment with transplant containers for your seedlings. Again, keep records for next year so that you will know what worked well.

OUTDOORS. When the ground can be worked prepare pits for any woody plant material that want to plant. This is usually best done when the plants are dormant (not growing leaves or flowers). Examples of woody plant material include trees, shrubs, evergreens and roses. You should have a plan of the site and a good idea of what you want to do with the perimeter or border. If you expect to have your project for a couple of years then the expense of ornamental, flowering trees and some carefully chosen evergreen material may be justified. What is really important is getting all the things together and having you needed to plant. The soil should ideally be conditioned in advance. Appropriate tools such as a pickaxe, spade, pruning shears, and a watering can and wrench for the hydrant or water source should be assembled. Other materials you may need include fertilizers like bone meal, rotted manure, compost or peat moss, and possible sprays or powders for the prevention or control of insects or disease. This is the time of year to use a miscible spray on “woolly aphids” and scale, which seem to like Crab Apple and Cherry trees so much. This should be done before the trees leaf out and on a day when the temperature is, and is expected to stay, at above 45 degrees for three days in a row. Once planted, your new plant material should be protected as much as possible from wind, sun and heavy rains. It is a good idea to wrap your tree trunks with burlap or tree wrap paper to prevent sunscald. You may need to stake and guy wire the larger material. There are three basic ways the plant can arrive: B&B (balled and bur lapped), packed or planted in a container, and barefoot. Barefoot transplants should be cut back, both roots and top growth, with pruning shears that have been dipped in alcohol to insure sterility.

You can try sowing directly into the prepared soil the following cool weather crops:  Bachelor Buttons, and Dianthus. Again, if there is a sudden or severe frost and you are unable to provide protection (hot caps, etc.) you may have to re-seed.  Always mark your rows with the date planted and the last possible germination date. Careful seeding in straight lines will help you determine which are the planted seedlings and which are the weeds.

Start lining up the materials you will need to get a compost heap going. Arrange for manure transportation. Request waste from local fruit stores. Ask your neighbors to contribute their organic kitchen wastes.

Flowering perennials such as Chrysanthemums should be divided now into new plants from each sturdy shoot. They benefit from a planting distance of 2 to 3 feet apart. Usually, only the fall-flowering perennials should be divided now.  You may have the energy to build a cold frame for protecting your seedlings. Or you may wish to attract birds to your garden by building a birdhouse and providing seeds and suet.

If you have just acquired your site - schedule your clean up as soon as possible. Line up all the sources and costs of the soil conditioning ingredients you will need, as well as the neighborhood support, energy and organization that will help your garden area work. Try planning a sharing or “pick-me” garden for neighbors and those who may want to join later on in the season.

Slightly modified for RING from: