March 24, 2003

The snow has finally melted and the recent warmer temperatures are
helping dry the soggy soil. As soon as the ground can be worked
planting
can begin. If you garden in a raised bed system the soil may already be
suitable for planting. In a raised bed the soil warms up sooner and the
drainage is better. To test the soil, squeeze a handful into a ball. If
the ball breaks apart easily then you can start planting. If it looks
and feels like wet modeling clay, then wait a little longer for it to
dry out.
Cover crops that were planted last fall should be cut or mowed down and
then turned under as a green manure. Do this about two weeks before
planting in the garden.
Once the ground is ready peas, onions, leeks and cole crops (broccoli,
cauliflower, cabbage) can be planted. Late in the month seeds of
spinach, lettuce, radish and beets can be directly sowed in the garden.
Seeds of calendula, larkspur and sweetpeas grow better if they are
directly sown in the garden. They can be planted now as well. The
sweetpeas will germinate better if they are pre-soaked the day before
planting.
Seeds of plants that need eight weeks to develop before planting
outside
can be started indoors now. Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and basil are
some examples. They all need to be planted as seedlings or small plants
after the frost date. The frost date for our area is May15th.
Bare spots in the lawn can be seeded now. Rough up the patches with a
rake and spread the seed. When grass seed is planted in early spring it
has a good chance of getting established before hot dry weather
arrives.
Major lawn renovations are best put off until the fall.
As the trees and shrubs come out of dormancy they benefit from a good
feeding. All trees, shrubs, fruits and perennials can be fed in late
March through early April. A balanced fertilizer such as 10-10-10 is
suggested for trees and shrubs. Apply it at a rate of 1-2 pounds per
100
square feet. Perennials will benefit from an application of 5-10-5
fertilizer at a rate of 2-3 pounds per 100 square feet.
Roses should be pruned now before their leaf buds break open. Cut back
all the dead and diseased canes first. Then remove any weak canes and
ones that will eventually cut or rub against another. Hybrid teas and
floribundas can be cut back to 18-24 inches in height. Always cut ¼
inch
above an outward facing bud. And make the cut at an angle of 45
degrees.
The goal is to open up the center of the bush for good air circulation.
This is one of the steps in disease prevention.
This past week I have had several questions regarding winter damaged
trees and shrubs. In several cases the damage was split or broken limbs
as a result of heavy snow cover. Whether a particular specimen can be
saved depends on how severe the damage. Broken branches should be
pruned
off cleanly, without leaving ragged edges or stumps. In most cases the
limb should be taken back to the branch collar- where the limb joins
the
trunk. Cracks in major limbs bring another problem. Removal of large
portions of a prized tree or shrub may leave the specimen greatly
disfigured. A decision will need to be made as to whether to attempt to
save it or just replace it. Sometimes the crack or split can be
temporarily bound until it mends. For large or older landscape plants
it
is wise to make a call to a tree surgeon for advise.
If it turns out that the tree or shrub can’t be saved have it removed
and select another to replace it. Late March through the month of April
is the best time to plant most trees and shrubs. Maples, birches,
dogwoods and flowering trees are all best planted in the spring. And if
you need to transplant a tree or shrub from one spot in the yard to
another, now is a good time to do it. Perennials can be planted and
transplanted as well. Overgrown clumps can be lifted and divided. Make
sure each division has a good clump of roots. Plant the new pieces in
another area of the garden, share some with gardening friends or pot
some up to donate to a plant sale or for gifts later in the season.

Beth Nardone, botanist, is a resident of Hillsborough and is the
Nursery
Manager at the Belle Mead Co-Op. Questions and comments can be sent to
bethtanical@rcn.com