Sirhornsalot
**The Official Horn Sports Landscaper and Landscap
- Joined
- Nov 6, 2013
- Messages
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DON'T GAMBLE WITH YOUR SPRING FLOWER INVESTMENT. PATIENCE!
March is here and with it, some deceptive weather that will make you want to engage in “Landscape Gambling.”Today on March 1, it is hitting 80 degree temperatures and beautiful skies. It’s been this way all week. This type of weather strikes an instinct to get out there and plant new flowers, thinking you’re ahead of the game by getting this done early.
There is a chance you’d be correct in that assumption. But there’s a good chance that you’re wrong. And that could be an expensive mistake.
I met a client this week who told me that she was about to plant her tomatoes for the Spring. I warned her that it wasn’t safe to plant in March. She chuckled and said she was betting that she would be fine as long as she covered her plants in the event of freeze. She has grown her tomatoes from seed so they are likely not even safe under a freeze cloth, they are still tender.
My experience here in North Texas has always been that Old Man Winter will have another appearance this month. And right now, many models are predicting winter weather around the middle of this month.
Meteorologists at DFW news outlets have repeated what I’m saying, even today. KRLD : “North Texas will experience additional freezes before the end of March, so it is advisable to delay planting your gardens for now.”
So what happens if you plant now and we get a winter storm later this month? There are a number of things to ponder there. It really depends on the amount of time the temperature is below freezing. If it’s just a couple of hours, then there may only be minimal damage. If it’s 7-8 hours, then you might have lost your Spring flower investment. Even if you cover your flowers/vegetables, and the plants are damaged but survive, their growth may be stunted by the traumatic experience.
It’s a risk. I have known folks who planted $500-$600 in Spring flowers in mid-March and lost them one week later in a winter storm. I have also seen people escape March with no damage. But it is a risk.
I will note that this caution only applied to perennial and annual flowers that are planted this month. Shrubs and trees are fine to plant the whole month.
The Live Oak Molt
The Live Oak Molt, a time where our evergreen Live Oaks drop their leaves and grow new ones at the same time, happens this month. In fact, it’s already under way. Live Oaks become large trees, so the volume of leaves it will drop can be rather overwhelming.
It is important to keep the leaves picked up, for several reasons:
1. The leaves will interfere with the emergence of turf grassand perennials from dormancy that takes place toward the end of the month.
2. The leaves can also cause fungal issues in the beds.
3. The leaves can be a fire hazard.
4. The leaves make great snake habitat and the region’s most common snakes, the Copperhead, blends really well in the leaves.
5. They are unsightly.
So as you can see, there are good reasons to remove them or gather them together in a pile and mow over them several times to mulch them up. Then rake the clippings into the lawn.
Fertilization
During March, you will want to feed your evergreen shrubs and trees with an acidic fertilizer that is mild on the nitrogen. I recommend you use an azalea fertilizer as this product has acidic substance that evergreen plants/trees desire and need and is also mild (10-5-4).
Roses will require a rose-specific fertilizer.
For other shrubs, use a mild general use shrub/tree fertilizer.
For your lawn, wait until after April 1 to apply. Your grass is not growing in March though it may turn green. The purpose for applying fertilizer is to make the lawn grow. That’s not going to happen in March. It is too cool at night still.
Watering
Before the season heats up, it would be a good idea to get that irrigation system checked out if you did not do so in early Fall. If there are issues present you’ll want to get those remedied before the warm season begins.
You should be watering once a week to this point in Winter. This month you’ll want to bring that up to two times per week. Watering will help your turf and your perennials emerge from dormancy.
lightning that occurred. It was close and loud! 
