Extension Master Gardener Volunteers of Durham County

By Gary Crispell, NC State Extension Master Gardener^SM volunteer of Durham County

Aka: GARY’S GARULOUS GARDENING GUIDE

OMG! Was February wild or what? It was consistent in its inconsistency and that’s about all there is to that. Don’t look now, but it is March. Not the parade kind of march with bands and floats and stuff. March as in “Look at all the green things coming up in the garden!” That March. The garden wakes up in March and stretches like a dog after a nap.

Close-up of a violet grape hyacinth flower spike against a dark background.

Close-up of pink and white magnolia flowers blooming on branches.

Grape hyacinths and Saucer Magnolia are colorful harbingers of spring. It’s time to get back in the garden, but be cautious. NC State Extension says that the last spring frost date for Durham County is April 5th. (Image credit: CC BY-SA 4.0)

The Accidental Cottage Garden (ACG) is still hibernating for the most part. There are some grape hyacinths (Muscari armeniacum) in bloom, and the saucer magnolia (M. soulangeana) is opening just in time to get frosted. We’ve been here eight years now and we got to enjoy that tree in full flower twice. It would really prefer to be in Wilmington, but the bus ticket is too expensive. Even the pansies (Viola x hybrid) on the deck succumbed to the cold this year. The pots froze solid and killed the roots. I think there are plenty of perennial rosettes out there, but literally not having a leg to stand on has made it difficult to negotiate the yard. It will be a grand adventure seeing who has returned and who was just resting preparing to show off. We have attained meteorological spring, so get out those garden gloves and hats. Locate the sunscreen just in case, and don’t forget the liniment and heating pad and ice packs. Just being real here. Let’s go work in the garden before the insects wake up.

Lawn Care

It is time to fertilize cool season grasses (tall fescue, bluegrass, perennial rye). A slow release, high nitrogen (the “N” /first number on the bag) fertilizer will give you the greenest lawn into the summer. These grasses typically want to go dormant in the heat of summer (July & August), so unless you want to water them a lot during that time, this will be the last time to fertilize them until late August/early September. Preemergent crabgrass control should be applied between the time the forsythia (Forsythia intermedia) bloom and the time the native dogwoods (Cornus florida) bloom. Later than that and the soil temperature will be warm enough that the crabgrass will have already germinated. Mowing can commence whenever it seems appropriate. You know, like when the lawn looks raggedy and the soil is dry enough that the mower won’t leave ruts. Mow to a height of 3” to 4”. That height allows the grass blades to shade the soil (read root zone) and protect it from the heat of summer. It also helps weed control by preventing enough sunlight for weed germination and growth. win, win.

Let the clippings return to the ground unless they are too long (Waited a bit too long between mowings, did we?) or wet and clumping (and if we are mowing the grass when it’s wet, why?). Clippings do not belong in the landfill. If leaving them on the ground isn’t an option use them in the compost pile or as mulch.

(Image credit: Gman Viz/CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

Fertilization (other than the lawn)

Green things that can be fertilized this month include shade trees, shrubs, and spring-flowering bulbs. Green things that should not be fertilized this month include St. Patrick’s Day revelers and leprechauns. Moderation is the key. (Take note revelers.) Asparagus beds should be fertilized early in March before the new spears appear. Work some fertilizer into the veggie garden bed(s). Lime may also be worked in now if your SOIL TEST so indicates. It will take 3 to 6 months for the calcium to become available to the plants, but that should be just in time for the June tomatoes and great timing for the Fall garden. Besides, if you don’t do it now, when will you?

Planting

All the things you didn’t get around to planting in the Fall (life got in the way, right?) can be planted now, and sooner rather than later. Just be cognizant of the fact that they will probably have greater water needs through the summer than anything planted in the Fall. Fall planted material had all winter to establish a root system strong enough to carry it through less than severe drought. There are exceptions, but there are always exceptions. (Take the aforementioned revelers and leprechauns for example.) Other things to be planted this month include perennials, for example coreopsis (C. bipinnata, C. lanceolata), foxglove (Digitalis purpurea), purple cone flower (Echinacea purpurea), balloon flower (Platycodon grandiflorus) and roses (Rosa sps.) While you have the trowel in hand might as well hit the vegetable garden. The same things that could be planted in late February can still be planted now. We’re talking root veggies (beets, carrots, potatoes, turnips, etc.) and salad greens (leaf lettuces, cabbages, kale, etc.). There is still time to start annuals and warm season vegetables inside for transplanting in April or May.

Pruning

Be advised, finish any fruit tree pruning ASAP. Prune roses mid to late March. (As an aside, now that we have been bumped up a USDA zone to 8, that timeline may need revising to an earlier date. I’ll research that for next year. Stay tuned.) Prune to a 5 leaflet leaf if those are visible. Otherwise prune the cane to an outward facing bud. Prune spring-flowering shrubs soon after the blooms fade. Dead head (pick off spent blossoms) pansies (Viola x hybrid) to prolong bloom time.

Spraying

Break out the sprayers! However, before using said sprayers check the plants for pests. With few exceptions (There they are again and we’ll get to them yet again in a minute.) prophylactic pesticide application is unwarranted. Always know what it is you are trying to control so that you can use the appropriate product. ALWAYS read the label and ALWAYS follow the instructions thereon. Applying a horticultural dormant oil to fruit trees, (prophylactically) particularly those that have recently been pruned, will help control several insect problems. (I told you we’d see exceptions again.)

MORE THINGS TO DO WHEN THE WEATHR IS HIGHLY UNPREDICTABLE

Get all the soon-to-be-needed gardening equipment ready for use. If it is supposed to be sharp, sharpen it. If it needs calibrating (sprayers and spreaders), calibrate it. If it has moving parts, lubricate them. If it has a four stroke motor, change the oil and filter. Plant a tree for Arbor Day. Here in North Carolina that is March 20th this year. It is always the first Friday after the 15 th . There will be several city, county, state sponsored events that will be posted on the various websites after March 1. In all things gardening, have fun. If it isn’t fun, hire it out or plant something that doesn’t require the burdensome task you deplore. Gardening should be fun, relaxing,
therapeutic even. It is March. Let the fun begin!

NC Arbor Day will be held March 20, 2026 with many events throughout the state. To learn more go to: https://www.arborday.org/celebrate/history

Additional Reading and Resources

NC State Extension. Central North Carolina Planting Calendar for Annual Vegetables, Fruits, and Herbs

NC State Extension. Pruning Calendar

Edited by Martha Keehner Engelke NC State Extension Master Gardener^SM volunteer of Durham County

Shortlink: https://wp.me/p2nIr1-7aD

By Gary Crispell, NC State Extension Master Gardener^SM volunteer of Durham County

Hey, look! It’s September and for the moment it has cooled off and the relentless humidity has dropped below 185%. How sweet is that? Another drop or two of rain here in Durham would be nice. It got a little dry in the last half of August, but at this time of the year one must be careful what one wishes for. Ask the folks in Asheville.

Close-up of pink purple coneflowers (Echinacea purpurea) in a garden, displaying delicate petals and a brown central cone.

A goldfinch perched on a purple coneflower, surrounded by green foliage.

(Left to right) Resilient purple coneflowers (Echinacea purpurea) continue to enliven the ACG. Let your coneflowers go to seed and leave the seed heads and stalks. Goldfinches and other small birds feed on them in the fall and throughout the winter months. Blanket flowers (Gaillardia pulchella), are long, reliable, no-fuss bloomers even in heat and drought conditions. Their seed heads are also enjoyed by a host of songbirds. (Image credit: Javin Griffin; iStock.com/ABDESIGN from NC State Extension)

The Accidental Cottage Garden (ACG) looks, well, pathetic. I eschewed using city water for anything except the tomatoes and peppers, and the rain barrels have gotten down to the bottom of the (Dare I say it?) barrel. The butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa) looks weird with new blooms and nearly ripe seed pods. Looks like an “oops” late-pregnancy sort of thing. The purple coneflowers (Echinacea purpurea) are barely hanging on, but the goldfinches (Spinus tristis) are loving the seeds, and we had a bumper crop.

Gaillardia (Gaillardia pulchella) are really drought resistant. They keep their spot in the garden colorful for months with absolutely no care whatsoever. The spreading garden mum (Chrysanthemum “I-don’t- have-a-clue”) is reblooming as usual. It, too, requires very little attention other than deadheading the first blooms.

The other hangers-on are evening primrose (Primula vulgaris) (What possessed me to plant those?), False vervain (Verbena carnea), Balloon flower (Platycodon grandiflorus), African marigold (Tagetes erecta), Zinnias (Zinnia elegans), Black eyed susans (Rudbeckia fulgida), and sun flowers (Helianthus annuus). And climbing all over everything, Cypress vine (Ipomoea quamochit). I love the red flowers, but the vine is a bit much.

Close-up of a purple balloon flower (Platycodon grandiflorus) with intricate veining and a softly blurred background.

A butterfly rests on vibrant orange flowers of an African marigold(Tagetes erecta) in a garden with a purple coneflower and greenery, set against a light blue house.

(Left to right) Summer-to-fall flowers still going strong in the ACG are the vibrant purple balloon flower (Platycodon grandiflorus), African marigold (Tagetes erecta), and the assertive self-seeding evening primrose (Primula vulgaris). (Image credit: Jimmi Lazuli; Javin Griffin)

Now if we could get an inch of rain a week through September the rest of this article will be relevant.