Time for Spring Prep

Around 7:30 a few mornings ago my idyllic “me” time was interrupted by a familiar sound of summer—the roar of rideable lawn mowers in the neighbor’s yard. Could it be that on March 11^th it is that time again? We’ve had such warm days as of late and with daylight savings time providing us with an additional hour of daylight, I almost feel like I should start prepping and planting my pots to add some color in the yard to offset the dusty brown grass of winter. But March in Denver is such a crapshoot—I’m sure in a few days we’ll get a blast of heavy, wet snow that could wipe out all my efforts.

There are a few things we all can do to get our growing spaces prepped for summer without feeling counterproductive should a storm come our way. Besides, it’s a way to enjoy the great outdoors since skiing isn’t all too tempting right now. Here’s some tips:

Remove all protective coverings and winter mulch. 

Any covers placed on young shrubs or trees during the winter should be removed this month and all winter mulch around plants should be removed. 

What about those bulb flowers that are coming up?

Once crocuses, daffodils, tulips, and other bulbs have bloomed, cut off faded flowers, but do not trim off the leaves until they have wilted and died.  The leaves produce food that the bulb will store and use for next year's growth and bloom.

Prune all trees and shrubs before any new growth begins.

It is best to prune trees in late winter or early spring while they are dormant, so, if you have trees that need pruning, do it now. One advantage to pruning now is you can more easily see how to shape the tree when it has no leaves. Also, insects and diseases that penetrate trees through pruning wounds are less prevalent in cold weather. For flower shrubs, it is best to wait a little while after flowers bloom so you don’t cut off any limbs that would provide flowers or fruit.

Exceptions:
For Birch, Maple and Walnut trees, they may ooze sap when pruned now, so most folks wait until mid-summer to prune those.

Roses and other tender shrubs should not be pruned at this time.  Pruning stimulates new growth that could be killed by frost or heavy snow.

Edibles

In order to get good-sized onion bulbs, plant onion seed during March.

Toward the end of March and in early April, Front Range folks may plant peas, potatoes, broccoli, cabbage, radishes, spinach, turnips and lettuce.

When it doesn’t snow: Watering

Continue to water your yard periodically ("winter water") if it doesn't rain or snow.  March's winds and sunny days can be very drying.

When it does snow

Despite recent weather, March tends to be the snowiest month of the year.  Heavy, wet snow can break the branches of evergreen trees and deciduous trees that have leafed out early.  If heavy snowfall endangers tree branches, you may wish to knock off excess snow by gently lifting branches upward with a broom or rake.  Be careful not to add to the weight already on the branches by pressing down!

Planting

If you have not transplanted trees or shrubs during the winter months, now is the time to do it before the plant begins to bud. 

March is best month for planting fruit trees, berries, rose bushes, and other deciduous plants. 

You can also begin to plant your annuals that enjoy cooler weather such as snapdragons, calendulas and pansies.

Schedule Spring Fertilization for your Trees and Shrubs

If you didn't fertilize your lawn in the fall, then you might want to fertilize it with a good nitrogen fertilizer in mid-March or early April to promote spring green-up and growth.  (This recommendation does not apply to Buffalo grass or Bermuda grass.)

Aerating the soil will help with soil compaction, which can prevent significant water and air from reaching the soil. 

Re-seeding can only be done after the lawn has properly been cured of diseases and aerated. An organic fertilizer is the best bet for a spring feeding. Grass reseeding can only be done after the lawn has been fertilized. 

Do I really need to weed right now?

Dandelions tend to poke up towards the end of this month so early spring is the best time to start weeding. Jump starting weed control could save hours of weed pulling later once the weather really warms up!

To keep up on what to do for your growing space month to month, visit http://www.coloradogardening.com/.