With more sunlight coming in the windows, your houseplants should be waking up. If you haven’t already, begin fertilizing lightly (see the photo for an idea of fertilizer strength) to feed the new growth. Don’t forget to keep the humidity up with misting or pebble trays—our homes remain very dry as long as the heating systems are on. Trim off any ragged or weary leaves – the plant will look better immediately, and the new leaves will have room and light to grow.
Take a walk around your yard (staying off muddy ground) and enjoy the earliest flowers. Witch hazels (Hamamelis) are in bloom and cornelian dogwood (Cornus mas) are close behind. As the ground warms, look for hellebore blooms to put in an appearance along with the early bulbs such as snowdrops, Siberian squills and crocus. Don’t have any planted bulbs or early shrubs? Make notes on where they would look great (and where the snow melts more quickly), take photos of the best sites, and tag them so you don’t forget where to plant this autumn for the spring of 2024.
When your spring bulbs appear, sprinkle a small amount of organic fertilizer and lime around - not on - the new greens. This will wash into the soil with spring rains and help the bulb get ready for next year’s flowers. This year’s flower is already in the bulb, waiting for the right weather to appear. An application of organic mulch around the foliage will keep weeds down around the bulbs and add organic to the soil later. If you planted your bulbs among perennials, (good for hiding the bulb foliage as it dies) do not mulch until the perennials are up.
Don’t be in a rush to uncover bulb beds, perennials, shrubs or roses you gave extra protection to last fall. This may have been an exceptionally mild winter, but Mother Nature isn’t through with us just because the calendar says March. While temperatures usually warm quickly at the end of the March, they can still be quite cold in early April with the possibility of late-season snow and ice storms.
Unlike other recent winters, there’s no snow on the ground this year to provide a protective blanket for perennials and recently-planted shrubs. As temperatures drop into the teens at night but rise into the 30s or higher during the day, the freezing and thawing cycle can push a plant out of the ground. Gently use the heel of your hand to press plants back to be flush to the soil.
