MONTHLY GARDENING TIPS
Here’s what to do, what’s in bloom, and lots of tips and tricks for each month of the year! Check back each month to find new, seasonal tips for ornamental gardening, lawn care, edible gardening, and indoor plant care in the Pacific Northwest!
March Gardening Tips for the PNW
In the Garden
Early March is still a good time to prune your roses. Remove any dead or injured canes and any suckers (branches growing from below the graft). Keep the three to five strongest canes but cut them back by about a third, making sure each cane has at least one outward-facing bud. Learn more about Pruning Roses.
Primroses, hellebores, ranunculus, and potted spring-blooming bulbs are here! Add some color to your garden beds and containers with these cold-hardy plants. See Our Favorite Early Spring Flowers.
Sow or plant hardy annuals in bare spots or where spring bulbs will die back. Some colorful options that will also attract pollinators include alyssum, bachelor's buttons, California poppies, calendula, and fragrant sweet peas.
March is a great time to prune ornamental grasses. Learn how in this blog post: Winter Pruning of Ornamental Grasses.
Edible Gardening
Get a head start on the garden by learning How to Start Seeds Indoors.
Amend your vegetable garden beds with compost to improve aeration, add nutrients, and help retain moisture in the soil this summer. Starting a Vegetable Garden has great tips for anyone interested in growing food.
Mulch your asparagus bed with several inches of compost this month.
March is an excellent time to plant many cool-season veggies outdoors. Try peas, radishes, lettuce, kale, blueberries, strawberries, onions, and potatoes. Read Vegetables to Plant in Spring to learn more!
Want to make gardening a family affair? Take a look at these blog posts: Seed-Starting with Kids and Vegetable Gardening with Kids.
Lawn Care
Do you need a lawn makeover? The best time to sow lawn seed is typically April or May, so start planning and preparing your lawn now. See Step by Step Lawn Renovation for more detailed information.
Try to limit traffic on wet, saturated grass and soil.
As long as your lawn is not soggy, you can apply lime now to balance the pH of your soil.
Sharpen mower blades and tune up equipment to prepare for spring.
Indoor plants
In spring, most houseplants begin to grow more actively. You can start applying a fertilizer formulated specifically for indoor plants in late March. Be sure to follow the directions on the product label for best results.
Spring and summer are also a great time to repot any houseplants that may be rootbound or need a soil refresher. See our step-by-step guide, How to Repot a Plant.
Learn more about caring for your plants this season in Spring, Your Houseplant’s Favorite Time of Year.
Want to add a few new indoor plants to your home? Check out our guide on Choosing Your Next Indoor Plant.