Magic of Gardening

SPRING TASKS FOR EVERY GARDEN TYPE

BY BETHANY O’REAR

One of the things I love about early spring is that it encourages the gardener to get back outside without requiring it. I can dip a toe back into vegetable gardening without committing the time (and love) required for frost-sensitive plants like tomatoes and cucumbers. In February and March, it’s all about leafy greens and roots which laugh at the cold.

Leaf lettuce is easy to grow and makes a novice gardener develop confidence. It is very tolerant of colder temperatures.

Leaf lettuce is one of those easy-to-grow vegetables that makes a novice gardener develop confidence. It’s a great crop for school and community gardens because it germinates quickly, performs with little difficulty, and can be harvested in March, April, and May with successive plantings. Seed can be sown from mid-January through February. Set seed ¼ inch deep and thin to 12 inches apart in rows. “Blackseeded Simpson” and “Red Sails” are good leaf lettuce choices for Alabama gardeners. Root vegetables are another rewarding spring crop. Radish seed can be planted from the beginning of February all the way through March. “Cherry Belle“ is a classic round red variety while “White Icicle” forms a white tap root. Radish seedlings must be thinned to 1 inch apart shortly after germination or the roots won’t develop fully. They can be harvested within 30 days of sowing. Carrots can be planted throughout the whole month of March and should be spaced 1- 2 inches apart. Shorter varieties like “Lady Fingers” and “Thumbelina” more easily produce uniform roots than longer varieties and mature quickly — between 52 to 60 days, before temperatures start to really heat up. I recommend that longer-maturing varieties only be planted in the fall. Any root vegetable appreciates fertile, well-tilled, loamy soil. Irish potatoes like “Red Pontiac” and “Superior” can be set out in February. Irish potatoes are planted through seed cuttings with at least one “eye” or bud on each. Only use certified seed stock or eyes — grocery store potatoes, even if they have already started to sprout, will not produce reliably. Eyes are initially planted 3 inches deep, and as they emerge, additional soil is mounded on top of the plants. This is an ongoing process until they have at least 6 inches of soil on top. Potatoes can take up to 120 days to mature so it’s important to make sure they remain buried deeply and do not suffer sun scald. If you’ve never planted in a “grow bag,” Irish potatoes are a great starter crop. Grow bags come in many sizes and colors but essentially all brands are made of weather-resistant fabrics that allow for uniform “hilling” over the emerging plants and are breathable, thereby preventing overheating in June just as the potatoes come to maturity. Harvesting couldn’t be easier as it’s simply a matter of tipping over the bag with no risk of piercing tubers with a fork or tine.

Roses deserve some attention this time of year. Hybrid tea roses are typically given their hard prune around Valentine’s Day. Fertilization and spray programs begin in March. We got a lot of questions about the best time to prune popular self-deadheading shrub roses. Unlike hybrid teas which are geared to producing fewer but maximum-size blooms, many shrub roses can simply be “shaped” throughout the year. The general rule of pruning is applicable to all types of roses — dead and diseased plant material can always be removed, no matter the time of year.

Carrots can be planted throughout the whole month of March and should be spaced 1-2 inches apart.

If fruit trees are your fancy, then you probably already know that many types should be fertilized in February. In addition, all remaining fruit debris and old mulch should be removed from under trees to try and suppress overwintering diseases. Fruit-specific spraying schedules could fill a book, so I recommend writing out a growing season calendar so as not to miss key dates. Lastly, have a plan for late-season frosts which can impact or even shut down fruit development for the season. Peaches are a particular worry in this regard.

Hybrid tea roses are typically given a hard prune sometime around Valentine's Day.

Warm sunny days in March send folks to the garden centers in droves. It’s tempting to buy a lawn product which delivers a one-two punch of weed suppression and fertilization. “Weed and Feed” products, however, are often a bad bet. Only St. Augustine and tall fescue grasses should be fertilized in March. More common turf types like Bermuda and Centipede will not benefit from fertilization this early in the year, in fact they may even be harmed. Better to save your money for a weed-specific pre-emergent, which needs to be applied now to be effective, and take the time to perform a soil test and apply lime as might be recommended.

In the warm, sunny days of March, invest your money in a weed-specific pre-emergent for grasses such as Bermuda and Centipede.

Let me wrap up with an appreciation of one of nature’s great wonders, the hummingbird. The tiny miracle known as the ruby-throated hummingbird migrates north to Alabama in the first two weeks of March. By mid-month there are numerous sightings in Birmingham and reliable sightings in Huntsville by the end of the month. Birdwatchers suggest you set out clean feeders and nesting material before they appear in your area. You can make your garden a hummingbird haven by planting their favorite flowers. These include perennials and biennials such bee balm, foxglove, and cardinal flower. After frost, plant annuals such as zinnias and red salvia. One caution, however, about trumpet creeper vine. Many bird lovers recommend this as an irresistible planting for hummingbirds — this may be true, but it is an invasive plant through all the Southeast and should be avoided. There are plenty of other beautiful flowers to share. I hope your 2023 garden is off to a great start.

Make your garden a haven for hummingbirds by planting their favorite flowers in March. Cardinal flowers are one of the hummingbird's favorites.