Gardening Guides
Great Lakes Gardener's March Checklist
Spy emerging bulb blooms, raise an eye to the sky and cut back old foliage to prepare for bigger and better things to come
Great Lakes gardeners have much to see and do in March. Meteorological spring begins March 1; the sun is warmer, so any snows that do come won't last long. The little blooms of early spring defiantly flaunt their colors in the face of wind, frost and snow. March is widely variable, and so much in the garden depends on the weather. Whether bundled up in mittens and a winter coat or puttering in shorts and a T-shirt, we gardeners in this region take whatever March brings.
Look for March blooms. The garden is waking up. Joining snowdrops (Galanthus sp) and winter aconites (Eranthis sp), the little bulbous irises, such as Iris reticulata 'Pixie', shown here, unfurl their exotic petals in shades of purple, blue and yellow. Some are fragrant, urging the gardener to his or her knees. It may be necessary to pull back winter mulch to protect the buds and blooms from slugs that forage on warmer days.
Bunches of early crocuses open wide in the sun. If you have problems with squirrels digging up and eating crocus bulbs, plant Crocus tommasinianus, such as these 'Barr's Purple', which squirrels generally find unpalatable.
Near the end of March, lawns turn blue, as a sea of Siberian squill (Scilla siberica) blooms.
For a different look, plant Pushkinia libanotica instead. This little early bulb plus the little crocuses and squill are well suited to naturalizing in a lawn, as their foliage matures and withers by the time the lawn grows long enough to need mowing.
Not all March blooms are tiny. Late in March the Christmas rose (Helleborus niger) opens its pristine white blooms. The flowers last a long time and age to an attractive dusky pink.
Usually by the end of March, the first of the native wildflowers, sharp-leaved hepatica (Hepatica nobilis var. acuta), begins blooming. It is slightly earlier than round-leaved hepatica (Hepatica nobilis var. obtusa). Both are semievergreen and might benefit from a bit of dead-leafing before blooming.
Even more encouraging than the stalwart blooms of March are the sprouts peeking up from the soil. The shoots of the native blue cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides) are among the first to break the soil, followed shortly thereafter by the native bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis), shown here. Monkshood (Aconitum sp) also sends up foliage before the rest of the garden awakens.
When emerging, the native bluebells (Mertensia virginica) look like little purple cabbages until the leaves turn green in April.
Watch the birds return. The birds that headed south last fall are returning, including great blue herons, even if the ice hasn't melted from area ponds yet. While you're looking up, take note of the tree branches budding.
Notice the bees. On a warm day, take time to sit in a protected part of the garden and watch the first bees visiting the early bloomers, such as crocus (Crocus chrysanthus 'Princess Beatrix'). Soon we'll be as busy as those bees with spring garden chores.
Keep deer and rabbits away. The gardening season begins in earnest in March. While discovering new sprouts, spray on deer and rabbit repellant to any growth that might become a tasty treat, such as the foliage, buds and blooms of tulips (Tulipa 'Easter Moon' foliage is shown). Keep spraying on repellant as foliage grows and buds form, but keep in mind that some grazing might occur anyway.
Cut back old foliage. Another March garden task is cutting back the old foliage of hellebores, also known as Lenten roses (Helleborus x hybridus). Removing the unsightly foliage now ensures an attractive setting for the April blooms.
Begin spring garden cleanup by cutting back any old or dead stalks. Although it may be tempting to remove all winter mulch now, it is better to wait until temperatures become moderate to prevent frost and freeze damage to tender young growth of perennials.
Cut early-blooming, large-flowered clematis (type II), which blooms on new wood, back to terminal leaf buds. Staggering the length of each vine lengthens the blooming period of a clematis.
Cut early-blooming, large-flowered clematis (type II), which blooms on new wood, back to terminal leaf buds. Staggering the length of each vine lengthens the blooming period of a clematis.
