Information and Planning

March Planner from Red Barn Garden Center

March is the time to get busy outdoors and plant, plant, plant. The sooner you plant the quicker your plants will become established before the heat of summer. However, March weather can change from day to day, so be prepared to protect anything newly planted if there is a late cold spell with Insulate. The average last freeze date for Austin area is March 8th.

Top dress lawn with Dillo Dirt HuMore or fine compost now to get grass to fill in bare areas. Mow grass short to get ready for new growth. Bag 1st and 2nd cut and use in compost pile if needed. Fertilize with a slow release fertilizer mid to late March. Ladybug is an all natural fertilizer. If you are not sure what your soil needs, Red Barn has soil test kits and low cost testing packets with instructions to send off for testing. Don’t forget to get those pesky weeds with a pre-emergent and or a post emergent. Bring a sample and one of our associates will help you chose the one for you. Look for slugs or snails around hostas etc, Treat with Sluggo or diatomaceous earth. If you have fire ant mounds try an organic spinosad bait or drench. Anti fuego or orange oil will drive them out. Use live Ladybugs for aphids etc. on plants

Clean beds of debris and apply fresh compost and Texas Hardwood Mulch around existing shrubs trees and plants. This may be a good time to start a compost pile. We have compost starter and Bakashi Bins.

You may want to plant transition annuals such as Begonias, Ageratum, Petunias, Dianthus, and Alyssum just to name a few. If you still have Pansies, Snapdragons, Stock plants etc. don’t forget to feed them.

March is also a good time to divide and or transplant perennials. Doing so will lessen the transplant shock when it gets hot. Don’t forget to use Superthrive to lessen the transplant shock. Hummingbirds will be returning soon so get your feeder ready or plant flowering plants the attract them such as Coral Honeysuckle, Salvias, Turks Cap, Pentas, Firecracker Plant, Plumbago and more.

Prune Altheas, Oleanders, and Crape Myrtles now for a great spring and summer growth and bloom. Do not prune Spring flowering shrubs. Wait until their spring bloom is over. Now is a great time to plant shrubs and trees. Check out our great selection of waterwise, low maintenance and native plants that handle our hot dry summers. Don’t forget root stimulator, compost and mulch to give your plant or tree the best chance. Drop by Red Barn for a free copy of the Grow Green Book to help you plan your landscape.

Fertilize pecans and trees. Fertilize trees that are less than 5 years old to get better growth and establishment. Do not prune newly planted trees. Live oaks will be dropping their leaves soon so don’t forget to rake and bag leaves or put in compost pile or use as mulch.

Edible Gardening time! Red Barn has a huge selection of vegetables and herbs for all of your gardening needs. Plant lettuce, peas, beans corn, peppers and more. Keep seeds well watered for better germination. Tomatoes may be planted later. Watch temperatures for cold nights. Be prepared to cover them as well with Insulate. Ask us for our vegetable planting guide for the right planting dates for our area.

Drop by Red Barn Garden Center at 12881 Pond Springs Road, Austin, TX. 78729 and one of our nursery professionals will be happy to assist you with all of your gardening needs. Also watch your mailbox for coupons from Community Impact, Morgan’s Deals and As Pages.

Happy Gardening from Red Barn Garden Center.

Get the best annual plants of the season by stopping by our Austin, Texas, nursery today.