March Garden Tasks (Rogue Valley, Oregon)  

Vegetable Gardens

Seeds to direct Sow in mid to late March:  Peas, radishes, spinach, lettuce, kale, arugula, chard, carrots, beets, and parsnips. Also Plant:  Onion sets, and perennial roots like asparagus, artichokes, and rhubarb.

Seeds to start indoors for May Transplanting:

• Tomatoes & Peppers:Essential to start NOW for transplanting in mid-to-late May.
• Brassicas:Broccoli, cabbage, kale, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts.
• Herbs:Basil, parsley and cilantro
• Other vegetables :Celery, eggplants, and leeks
• Potatoes:Buy seed potatoes, sprout (“chit”) them in a cool, dark place, then plant.

Fruit & Berry Crops

• Planting:March is ideal for planting fruit trees, strawberries, and cane-berries (raspberries and blackberries).
• Pruning:Finish pruning fruit trees (apples, pears, cherries, peaches) before buds swell.
• Fertilizing:Feed raspberries and blueberries with organic, acidic fertilizer.

Flower Beds & Landscaping

• Clean & Mulch:Clear away dead foliage, apply compost, and mulch beds to suppress weeds.
• Divide Perennials:Divide and transplant summer-blooming perennials.
• Bulbs:Plant dahlia, lily, and gladiola tubers.
• Pruning:Prune winter-flowering shrubs after they bloom and ornamental grasses.

Maintenance & Pests

• Slug Control:Actively monitor and manage slugs using baits like Sluggo or traps, as they love new spring growth.
• Soil Care:Avoid walking on or tilling heavy, wet, or saturated soil to prevent compaction.
• Fertilizing:Apply fertilizer to evergreen shrubs (rhododendrons, azaleas) and roses.
• Lawns:Sharpen mower blades and set the mower height to 1.5–2.5 inches. Apply Lime to increase alkalinity, boost nutrient uptake.   Treat lawn for moss with ferrous sulfate (iron sulfate).