March in SW Florida should be clear, dry, sunny and warm. Last year at this time, we were experiencing a drought situation, with only a trace of rain. Don’t expect much precipitation until May or June.
You can now begin to add to your landscape, whether it’s through participation in your association, in your yard or with decorative pots at your front door and in the lanai. And, if you received or purchased poinsettias during the holidays, now is the time to put them outdoors. Put them in sunny locations and prune to 12 inches above the soil. Poinsettias have a better chance of blooming again if kept outside, away from artificial night light.
• Watch for Fungus: Moist leaves in the morning that don’t dry off very quickly are susceptible to fungus.Fungus will affect most plants, as well as turf.
• Tools: Clean and sharpen your garden tools. Pruning will be much easier, and clean cuts lessen the possibility of fungus and bacteria settling into frayed branch edges.
• Pruning: Almost everything overgrown or dead can be pruned now. The exceptions include trees and plants in, or those about to flower. Go after plants that need shaping or that have damaged branches. Cut back by 1/3, using pocket pruning or vertical cutting. Horizontal cutting only encourages top growth, not interior or base growth. Don’t touch bougainvillea until after Mother’s Day.
• Hurricane Pruning: Years ago, this pruning practice was demoted to unacceptable, as we became more aware of what is truly beneficial and what is not. A well-pruned, properly pruned tree is one that has had limbs removed which are crossing each other, or are broken or damaged, forming a weak link to the trunk. Excessive pruning (topping) only produces thick, weak growth that will cause problems in high winds.
• Pruning Palms: Palms should only have dead or dying (browning) fronds and inflorescences/fruit removed. The standard of leaving fronds between 9 and 3 o’clock (the horizon line) is best. Removing green fronds stresses the palm by limiting its source of nutrients for new growth.
• Pinching Back: This small action produces big results for annuals and perennials. With your fingernails, pinch back ¾ – 1″ of the actively growing ends of the branches. The plants will bush out and flower production will increase. Spent flowers should be removed to encourage a new flush of blooms.
• Fertilizing: Purchase the pricier slow-release, complete fertilizer. Micronutrients are mandatory for plants in our area. Buy a good quality palm food and use it on everything…palms, trees, shrubs, ground covers and perennials. Fertilizer contains salts, so always water first if the ground is dry. Afterwards, broadcast the fertilizer in the area of the plant’s drip lines (not at the trunk) and water it into the ground. Fertilize the soil, not the plant.
• Weeding & Mulching: Three inches of organic mulch will keep out most weeds, but some will come through the barrier. An application of pre-emergent herbicide will kill germinating seeds – it should be applied prior to mulching. Keep mulch away from tree trunks and stems of shrubs and perennials.
• Turf Management: If not done already, apply a pre-emergent herbicide early in the month for control of summer weeds.
• Irrigation Systems: Systems should be checked for proper coverage. This is very important, and is an ongoing task. Whoever is maintaining your irrigation system must be vigilant. March and April are two of the driest months and the temperature is heating up. The landscape requires consistent watering and coverage.
• New Plantings: Almost everything, including warm season annuals, cold-sensitive tropicals, flowering ornamentals and palms can be planted now. Planting too deeply, above the soil level when purchased, will kill almost any plant except cabbage palms and tomato plants! And, planting trees too closely to each other only means trouble in the future with disease, weak growth, mis-shaped limbs and is a huge waste of money.
• Planting Annuals: Our soil cannot support annuals or most perennials. For success, purchase annual soil mix and mound it high, adding Osmocote. Plant, water with fresh water initially to supplement or replace the irrigation water. A blossom booster and fungicide, applied as directed, is also recommended. Hint: Spend a little extra by buying a quart-sized plant vs. one in a 41/2-inch pot. You won’t need as many and it will establish much more quickly, with less effort on your part.
