SUCCESS in the GARDEN for March!

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Look at what is blooming now! The botanical garden is starting to show some color. Our Saucer Magnolia is blooming and the forsythia in the woods has peaked. Some of our old bulbs are “poking” through the ground with promises of color soon. Our garden's success depends on the great volunteers that we have in our Master Gardener program. That means you! We have very ambitious plans for creating success this year and we invite you to be a part of it.

Survival techniques for certain plants provide that they be dormant during harsh weather and that they grow and thrive during good weather. Problems arise when the weather becomes similar to springtime conditions and the plants respond by initiating new shoots, buds, leaves, flowers, etc.

Even in the winter months it is refreshing to see signs that spring is just around the corner with the early indicator plants such as the yellow flowering forsythia, the purplish pink saucer magnolia, the multicolored hyacinths, daffodils and crocus. These early blooming plants help to bring new life into our late winter landscapes and people also start thinking about spring and what they need to do for their landscapes.

What to Plant: You may continue to plant larkspur, poppies, and dianthus. In mid-March plant coreopsis, cherry laurel and southern magnolia and vegetables such as: broccoli, beets, cauliflower, and cabbage. Containerized roses can be planted anytime between March and May. This is the beginning of the next best time to plant ornamental shrubs and trees.

What to Prune: Prune deciduous spring flowering shrubs after flowers fade; quince, spirea and forsythia all flower on old growth. Do not prune shrubs that haven't bloomed yet such as azaleas and Indian hawthorns. Prune roses before bud break. Toward the end of the month, prune freeze-damaged oleanders in Coastal regions. Heavy pruning and rejuvenation pruning of summer blooming shrubs can be done now. On Rabbiteye blueberry bushes, prune to maintain 6-9 branches per plant.

What to Fertilize: The winter has been cold and warm at times. Typically it is best to fertilize most ornamental plants around April 15. You may apply bulb fertilizers according to label directions after bulbs emerge. Wait on other ornamentals until April. If you have not already fertilized pecans, do so now at your earliest convenience.

March Garden Chores

1. If weeds have been a problem in your landscape beds, consider using an appropriate pre emergence herbicide. The timing is critical for good results....it needs to be in place before the weeds appear! One rule to remember: if you had weeds last year, expect a volunteer (bumper) crop in 2007.

2. Most pruning on rose bushes should be completed this month if you haven't done so already.

3. There are numerous fruit trees that will fit into most landscapes. Be sure to locate them away from active people use areas. If you are in a small setting, consider using a dwarf cultivar. Be sure to plant a pollinator if necessary. You should also note that deer are attracted to fruit trees. If you are in a "deer zone", it is recommended to erect some type of fence around each tree. Electric fences work well in orchards but are not practical for homeowners with a limited amount of space.

4. Begin designing a perennial border. There are 20 25 very popular herbaceous perennials that are (almost) fool proof, for all areas of North Carolina. Prepare the beds by deep tilling and incorporation of plenty of compost and plant later in the spring.

5. Want to improve the looks of your landscape by 100%? Many landscapes would look better if a 3 4" layer of organic mulch was applied around the shrubs. Then take a square blade shovel and put a professional edge on the bed. Be sure to edge at least 18 24" out from the outer edge (dripzone) of the shrubs
6. Think about adding some garden sculpture to the landscape. Any number of birdbaths, gazing globes, wildlife or human figurines and statues can be found in garden centers and antique shops. If you don't believe this is the latest "style", just thumb through a few gardening magazines.

7. Although a severe case of spring fever makes a gardener do strange things, one temptation to resist is to work in the soil if it's wet. Think twice before you work in wet soil. Compaction problems are unforgiving.

Inquiring Gardeners Want To Know...

The spring time will be upon us and with each new planting of tender young annuals, perennials and vegetables, snail and slug control will become increasingly important as the plants try to establish. The following is an article written for Grower Talk magazine by Tom Thomson from Monterey Chemical Co. in California which provides an update on various control measures for snails and slugs available to "Coastal Gardeners".

* SANITATION. Cleanliness and good maintenance are the first methods of control. Eliminate the areas where they spend their daylight hours. Clean up weeds and undesirable plants in and around your crops. Water early in the day to eliminate moist areas where they congregate. Clean up all wood, rocks and other areas where they hide.

* BIOCONTROL. In some areas, decollotate snails can be used for biological control. They live on the eggs of snails and slugs and eat rotting plant materials, but they won't eat live plants. Over a period of six months or longer, they can eliminate the population of brown garden snails and reduce the population of slugs. Release them at the rate of 1,000 per acre.

* CHEMICAL CONTROL. Everyone has heard about beer, salt and other home grown snail and slug controls. These aren't practical under production conditions, however. Metaldehyde baits, first introduced in the 1930's, are the most commonly used control. Metaldehyde is usually formulated as a meal bait or pellet from 2 to 7.5% active ingredient and sold under various trade names; one product is Deadline, a 4% metaldehyde gel formulation. Metaldehyde kills through both ingestion and contact. If a slug or snail crawls across the metaldehyde bait, the metaldehyde is taken up into the mollusk's system, causing death. Some baits have a combination of metaldehyde and carbaryl. Metaldehyde baits are registered for use on certain plantings. Be sure to read the label to see if it can be used in your situation. Don't allow the bait to contact any edible portions of any food or feed crop. Phytotoxicity has been observed in some ornamentals, including Daylilies and Clematis. Apply when plant damage first appears, and don't apply to a dry soil. Evening applications are preferred. For heavy infestations, a second application may be require in 7 to 10 days. Metaldehyde baits are extremely toxic to pets, so keep them out of treated areas. Measurol (methiocarb) is a sprayable molluscicide/insecticide that's registered in the U.S. on greenhouse and field ornamentals. It's applied as a foliar spray up to four times per season. Measurol controls snails and slugs when they feed on treated foliage. Once ingested, feeding stops. Mesurol also controls aphids and mites. It's not for use on food or forage crops.

The newest bait to hit the market is Sluggo (iron phosphate). Developed in Germany, it's registered in the U.S. for use on ornamentals, greenhouse vegetables and ornamentals, citrus, fruit crops, field crops, vegetables and grasses grown for seed, turf and landscape areas. The active ingredient is incorporated into a pasta type product. Sluggo can be used up to the day of harvest on food or forage crops. One of the biggest advantages of Sluggo is that it's safe for pets and animals. It has no effect on earthworms, birds, insects or other nontarget species.

Iron phosphate, the active ingredient, occurs naturally in the soil and is used in medicine to correct iron deficiency. It breaks down in the soil into iron and phosphate, both of which are used by plants as fertilizer. The inert ingredients are all biodegradable food additives.
Unlike metaldehyde baits, Sluggo must be ingested to be effective; it doesn't kill on contact. Once heave metal (iron) is ingested, it becomes toxic to the pest. The snails or slugs stop feeding immediately and go back to their nesting area to die. You won't see unsightly piles of dead snails or slugs when using iron phosphate bait.

Apply Sluggo around the plants to be protected. It may even be
scattered over the top of ornamentals and vegetables. Evening is the best time to apply the bait. Reapply as bait is consumed.

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