Tag: to do list for gardens

To Do in the Garden: March 2026

On By durhammastergardenersIn Accidental Cottage Garden, Durham NC, Gardening calendar

By Gary Crispell, NC State Extension Master GardenerSM 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!

Logo for North Carolina Arbor Day featuring the text 'NC' in dark blue and 'Arbor Day' in green, with a green tree graphic.

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 GardenerSM volunteer of Durham County

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

To Do in the Garden: February 2026

On By durhammastergardenersIn garden tasks, Gardening calendar, gardening NC, pruning, Uncategorized

By Gary Crispell, NC State Extension Master GardenerSM volunteer of Durham County

Closeup of plant twig covered with ice and snow.
Shrub whose branches are heavy and bending under the weight of snow.
Spent seed heads of black eyed Susan plant covered in snow.

In central North Carolina, frigid temperatures and snow are ushering in February 2026. (Image credits: Sabrina can den Heuvel/Pixabay; Melinda Heigel)

Well, friends, wasn’t January fun?  I haven’t worn so many clothes simultaneously for so long since the BIG SNOW of 2000 (or maybe since I was a kid in upstate New York).  It has been (expletive deleted) COLD!! 

The Accidental Cottage Garden (ACG) has gone into deep hibernation.  I have managed to get a solid covering of wood chips on some of it.  (Good thing I kept the tractor when I dissolved the landscape company.)  My barely functioning left knee prevented any detail work in the ACG.  (By the time you read this that problem will have been taken care of.)

February is the official start of gardening season (if there isn’t any white stuff covering the beds).  I know that is a fact.  I saw it on the internet.  There are many more things to do this month than in January, so lets put on all of our clothing and get started.

Lawn Care

Cool season grasses (i.e. fescue and bluegrass) should be fertilized with a slow-release fertilizer following the recommendation of your SOIL TEST.

Late February/early March is the best time to apply a preemergent crabgrass preventer.  There are several easy to use granular products on the market.  Be sure to read and follow the directions on the label for safe and proper handling and application.  Calibrate your spreader to ensure accurate application amounts.  Too little will not give you effective control and too much may damage the turf.

Fertilizing

See Lawn Care above and Planting below.

Planting

And so, it begins.  The vegetable garden.  The reason for existence, for frozen fingers in February, summer sunburn and the endless supply of liniment in the medicine cabinet.

Kale crop covered in heavy frost.

According to NC State experts, “Some cool season crops like Brussels sprouts, beets, collards, kale, parsley, and spinach will survive even if the temperature drops below 26 ºF for an extended period of time.” (Image credit: NC State Extension)

It is time for root vegetables and salad (and beef Bourguignon—which you can’t grow in the garden).  Early “plantables” include cabbage, carrots, leaf lettuce, onions, potatoes, radishes, rutabagas, spinach and turnips.  Work a little fertilizer into the soil that was tested in October (while it was still free to do so) following the recommendations of said SOIL TEST. More winter weather ahead into spring? Learn how to protect your crops.

Be cognizant of soil moisture levels.  Mother Nature has not done much in that department since October of 2025, but she can be really fickle.  We’ll probably have monsoons in April.

Pruning

If you have been ignoring previous posts, now it would be a good time to prune bunch grapes and fruit trees.

Also due for judicious trimming are summer flowering shrubs and small trees.  That list includes rose of Sharon (Hibiscus seriatcus) crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia spp.), butterfly bush (Buddleia davidii), and hydrangeas that bloom on new wood (Hydrangea arborescens & H. paniculata). Note: now is not the time to prune spring-flowering shrubs. You should prune these shrubs AFTER they have flowered in spring, but before the next year’s flower buds are set. If you prune these shrubs in winter or early spring, you will remove many of the flower buds and have fewer if any spring blooms. Spring-flowering shrubs that sucker readily from the base can benefit from some thinning (more here). Examples of spring-flowering shrubs are lilacs, forsythia, viburnums, honeysuckle, chokeberry, mock orange, and weigela.

While you’re out there, late winter to early spring is the time to whack back the ornamental grasses, also. 

Got some overgrown shrubs that you’ve been meaning to (or are reluctant to) prune heavily?  Go for it now.  I understand that if you’ve never done it before it can be a bit intimidating, trust me.  The plant will almost always not only survive but also thrive.  I am aware of the never-more-than-a-third rule, but sometimes that is not enough.  This is known as renewal or rejuvenation pruning and can benefit overgrown and mature specimens. So if it needs to go back to 12”-18” …. go for it.  Chances are you and the plant will be glad you did.

Spraying

The orchard needs attention.  Peaches and nectarines should be sprayed with a fungicide to prevent leaf curl. Spraying a dormant oil on the fruit trees will help control several insects later in the year.

Other Fun Stuff to do Outside in February

It’s the perfect time to propagate trees and shrubs through hardwood cuttings and tidy up unoccupied bluebird houses. (Image credit: University of New Hampshire Extension; NC Cooperative Extension)

Perennials can be divided as we head into spring.  Do it before the above-mentioned monsoons. Read up on it now and be ready.

Many landscape plants can be propagated via hardwood cuttings this time of the year.  Some of the plants in the category are crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia spp.), flowering quince (Chaenomoles spp.), junipers (Juniperus spp.), spiraea (Spiraea spp.) and weigelia (Weigelia spp).

Bluebirds will be most appreciative of a thorough house cleaning before the spring nesting season.  Remove all the old nesting materials and let them start afresh.  It’s like clean linens for them.

Oh, yeah.  Lest we forget…order flowers or other living things from the plant kingdom for your significant other.  Just for the record, guys like flowers and plants, too.  Happy Valentine’s Day, Y’all. Think positive thoughts about an early spring sans late freezes.

Resources and Additional Information

Learn what vegetables to start now on the blog from Master Gardener volunteer Kathryn Hamilton: https://wp.me/p2nIr1-2F1

Prune like a pro with this guide from NC State Extension: https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/general-pruning-techniques

From Clemson Cooperative Extension, learn more about providing for bluebirds through nest boxes: https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/providing-for-bluebirds-guidance-for-bluebird-nest-box-establishment-in-south-carolina/

Edited by Melinda Heigel, NC State Extension Master GardenerSM volunteer of Durham County

Article Short Link: https://wp.me/p2nIr1-70W