March:
Even though the Valley is beginning to heat up, we can still have the occasional frost. Don't forget that the weather forecasted is from Sky Harbor International Airport. Outlying parts of the Valley can be up to 10°F colder than the forecast at night. Be prepared to cover your tender plants on cooler nights.
Bug talk:If you’re seeing insects on your plants, vegetables and shrubs, the best control against them is their natural predators, such as praying mantis. Acquaint yourself with these insects, and if present, do not use insecticides. Instead, try hosing the bugs off with a forceful spray of water. This will help you gain control. A couple drops of dish soap in a spay bottle of water can also be very effective. Fruit beginning to grow on your trees may look like treats to birds. Try covering your vegetation with wire or protect young plants with row covers.
Grass: · Now’s the time to lay down Bermuda sod.
· Ryegrass should be watered once or twice a week depending on the weather. Bermuda grass only needs water about once a month.
· When our overnight lows stay above 60 degrees for five consecutive nights, lower your mower to ¾ of an inch to encourage the spring transition to Bermuda grass.
· Mow, hoe or handpick weeds now because they will become problematic later. In desert rock areas, Bermuda grass and weeds can be controlled with pre-emergence herbicides.
Trees/Shrubs:· Prune back hedges and shrubs that have become overgrown and dense.
· Fertilize deciduous fruit trees with nitrogen when they leaf out.
· Thin your deciduous fruit to 6 inch spacing. The earlier this is done, the more size response will be expected in fruit remaining on the tree.
· While pruning frost damaged plants, wait until new growth has appeared. Prune frost sensitive citrus after mid-March, when they begin to leaf out with new spring growth.
· Now is the time to plant trees and shrubs, including citrus trees. The earlier you get them in the ground, the more time the plants will have to get their roots established before the hot weather starts sucking the moisture out of their leaves.
· Two to five year old citrus trees transplant most successfully. Larger, older trees are more costly, harder to transplant and suffer more from transplant shock. It will generally be three years after the transplant before fruit appears, regardless of the tree’s age.
Flowers: · Prepare flowerbeds for spring gardens.
· Keep the dead blooms from winter annuals picked off.
· Use a fertilizer that’s high in nitrogen and phosphorus on your flowers.
Vegetables:
· Plant seeds: beans (lima and snap), beets, carrots, corn, cucumbers, jicama, melons (cantaloupe, muskmelon, watermelon), okra, green onions, peanuts, pumpkins, radishes, squash and sunflowers.
· Plant transplants: artichokes, eggplant, peppers and tomatoes.
· Place shade cloth over tomatoes to keep leaf hoppers away.
· Cut back any old and dead growth in the herb garden.
· Herbs to plant are mint, parsley, rosemary, sage and thyme.
· Prepare your soil for a spring/summer garden. Organic matter, mulch, manure or compost is very important.
· Fertilize vegetable gardens.
Don't List for March:1. Never remove more than ¼ of the total plant when you’re pruning. Always use sharp, sterile, quality pruning tools and disinfect them between cuts to prevent the spread of disease.
2. Don't cheat on soil preparation for flowers and vegetables.
3. Don't fertilize dormant Bermuda grass until late April or May.
4. Don't plant roses with western exposure because of the afternoon summer heat.
5. Too much fertilizer can cause salt burn and too little can cause nutrient deficiency problems. Water both the day before and immediately after applying granular fertilizers.
6. Don't fertilize mature trees near the trunk. Fertilize the outer two thirds of the ground of the leaf canopy where the most active roots are.
7. Don't water grass at night when the temperatures are coolest as this fosters the growth of fungal diseases.
8. Don't mow when grass is wet. This also may result in fungal disease.
9. Don't delay on weed control. Handle weeds while they are young, tender, and their roots are manageable, or before they sprout.
10. Don't use a pre-emergent in an area where you are going to plant veggies and flowers from seed. It will prevent seeds from germination. It will not affect transplants.
11. If you are growing a lawn from new seed, don't plant now. Wait until April or May.
January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December
Information provided by about.com
