Garden Tasks by Month | March in Zone 5
Dear Garden Diary,
It's March and I'm going to take to the garden like Edward Scissor Hands with my various rakes, shears, trimmers and pruners.
A lot of cleaning, clipping, shearing and pruning lies ahead of me this month.
☐ Catmint- Cut catmint down to 2 inches from ground level
☐ Russian Sage- Prune Russian Sage to healthy buds, within 6"-8" from ground. Cut a few of the oldest stems close at ground level to encourage the plant to push out new, young shoots from the base.
☐ Annabelle Hydrangeas
If pruned hard to the ground, smooth hydrangeas (Annabelle) will produce larger blooms. To prevent the Annaebelle's from flopping to the ground when they bloom, prune only half the stems to the ground. Prune the other half of stems to about 18"-24" from the ground to provide a woody base and give then new stems a bit more support.
☐ Mums- Cut back garden chrysanthemums about 3"-4" from the ground above healthy buds.
☐ Tall Sedum- Autumn Joy- Cut back the brown flower heads and stems to the ground.
Cut down grasses
☐ Ornamental grasses like Hakonechloa, Karl Foerster Feather Reed, fountain grass should be cut down before they start growing. I allow them to stand through winter for winter interest, but now it's time to cut them down now. Tie them up with twine and then shear them below the twine, about 6 inches from the ground/ crown.
Prune shrubs, trees, evergreens
☐ Prune shrubs like Red Twig dogwood, Burning Bush before foliage returns.
☐ Prune ornamental blooming trees like Kwanzaa Cherry- Prune out crossing branches in ornamental trees or branches damaged by winter.
☐ Prune evergreens like boxwoods around late March, before plants break dormancy.
Plan
☐ Plan what you want to split/ divide/ move early next month once the soil becomes workable.