Garden Tasks for MARCH in Acadiana: By Dan Weintritt and friends

Created for use by the Louisiana Native Plant Society with the Acadiana Native Plant Project.

Made in the style of Dan Gill's Month by Month Gardening in Louisiana, Cool Springs Press,

Copyright 1999, 2006

March - To Do

This is the final month for ideal transplanting of cold hardy trees, shrubs,

and perennials. Those that are planted later than early March will need

additional irrigation throughout their first summer.

Seeds can be sown directly outdoors, in the garden or in trays. Seedlings

started indoors can be brought outside to acclimate to cool outdoor weather.

Plant when the last chance of frost has passed (usually March 15th for South

Louisiana, April 1st for North Louisiana).

Plants are starting to grow vigorously now; supply additional water to new

transplants now through April, as needed. New seedlings may require water

more than once a day. Move trays to an area of morning sun and afternoon

shade to prevent wilting.

Cool season weeds should be removed completely to prevent the spread of

seed, reducing the amount of weeds next winter.

Warm season weeds are starting to wake up now. Selective herbicides

(such as grass killers) will be more effective now as perennial weeds are

breaking dormancy than this treatment will be later in summer. Pre-emergent

herbicides will prevent a return of especially nasty annual weeds, like the non-

native chamberbitter. Hand pulling is also a foolproof strategy, of course.

Continue to monitor scale insects that might be damaging trees, and watch

out for snails and slugs invading gardens. All life is valuable, but rampant

infestations of these pests are not natural, and will be more troublesome for

those with new gardens who have not yet established an equilibrium of

predators and prey. Snails can be removed simply by setting out several trays

of cheap beer on the ground near your garden plants, and throwing out any

captured snails and slugs each morning.

Be ready to protect tender, new growth for the occasional hard freezes at

this time. Frost blankets work great, and can be removed the morning after a

freeze when the sun has come up. Lightly misting foliage the night before a

freeze, or early in the morning (a sprinkler set with a timer for 2-3 a. m. is very

effective) is often enough to reduce damage to fresh shoots and buds.

Fertilizing is best done this month, if needed. In the native plant community,

it is preferred to find plants suitable to an area that would not require fertilizer,

but it can be helpful to give a boost to plants that have suffered, or have

recently been planted or moved. Many organic fertilizers now have the

innoculated spores of microrrhyzal fungi that build a healthy and dynamic soil

ecosystem that helps new gardens reach functional self-sufficiency more

quickly.

If mulch is used in the garden, this is the time to ensure sufficient coverage

to prevent infestations of summer weeds.

Spontaneous natives such as blue-eyed grass and lyreleaf sage are starting

to bloom now; mow around them to allow them to set seed, or hold off mowing

until later in the year, if possible. A strip of well-mowed lawn at the street edge

is enough to keep neighbors happy, usually.

Evergreen trees and shrubs may have yellowing leaves now. This is natural,

and is simply the plant preparing to shed old leaves and put out new growth.

No action is required, and evergreens should not be trimmed until they have

finished their spring flush of growth, usually in April or May.

Look for hummingbirds to begin migrating into our area, and observe what

plants they are feeding on. If you do not have a lot in bloom, consider putting

out a feeder for the season.