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Lawn, Garden & Landscaping

2003-03-01 14:09:00

What do I plant in March?

ANSWER:  Although it may seem harsh to plant new plants outside when temperatures are freezing, March is actually an optimum time to plant many perennials, trees, shrubs, evergreens, cool season vegetables, perennial herbs, and cold tolerant annuals.  Planting in early spring gives these plants the most time to get established in your garden before they are faced with the summer heat and dry weather.Hardy perennials such as Columbine 'Roman Bronze', and the new 'Origami' series, Creeping Phlox 'Emerald Blue' and 'Crimson Beauty', Hellebores, Scabiosa 'Blue Butterfly' and 'Pink Mist', Sedum 'Angelina' and 'Autumn Fire', Salvia 'Caradonna', and 'Marcus', Veronica 'Georgia Blue' and 'Royal Candles', and Yarrow 'Red Beauty' and 'Moonshine', will all liven up your flower beds!  While numerous perennials thrive when planted outside, it is important to make sure the plants you are purchasing in early spring have been acclimated to the outside temperatures.  If they have not been acclimated to cold temperatures (often referred to as being "hardened off"), even young perennials can die from a freeze.Trees, shrubs, and evergreens are also best planted when temperatures are cool.  Some tried and true trees for Kansas include Crabapple 'Prairie Fire' and Flame Amur Maple.  Some tough shrubs for Kansas are Burning Bush 'Fire Ball', Rose of Sharon 'Blue Satin', Lilac 'Tinkerbelle', and Viburnum 'Summer Snowflake'.While tomatoes and peppers cannot be planted until later in the spring, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, kale, leeks, lettuce, mustard, parsnips, radishes, salad greens, swiss chard, and turnips should be planted in March.  These cool season vegetables must get established and do most of their growing before warm temperatures arrive.  Potatoes, onions, asparagus, and rhubarb can all be planted in early spring as well.Some herbs are annuals and only live for one year, while others are perennials and will come back year after year.  Some great perennial herbs are Catnip, Chives, Garlic, Horseradish, Lavender, Mint, Oregano, Rosemary, Sage, French Tarragon, and Thyme.  These herbs are great addition to salads, beverages, hot tea, desserts, entres, and vegetables.  Some herbs are better known for their aromatic or medicinal uses, as opposed to being added to culinary dishes.Although annuals only live for one season and are generally very susceptible to freezing temperatures, some annuals actually prefer cool weather.  Pansies, Violas, Dianthus, Osteospermums, Marguerite daisies, Nemesia, Nierembergia, and Snapdragons all bloom best in the cool spring weather.  Pansies and violas will withstand freezing temperatures.  However, the other annuals mentioned must be protected from freezing weather.  For this reason, many cool season annuals are great planted in containers (12" in diameter and larger).  Growing your annuals in containers allows you to just bring the container into an insulated garage if a freeze is forecasted!The benefits of planting your garden in March are enormous:~ Cold hardy plants have a longer time to get established in your garden before the weather turns hot, giving you a nicer, fuller garden with less effort.~ The early spring rains help the plants get rooted in.~ Insects are less prevalent in early spring, helping your plants get off to a healthy start without competition from garden pests.~ It lengthens the gardening season, giving you more time to enjoy your hobby and have fun playing in the dirt!~ It gives you a "cure" for spring fever- or perhaps it makes the desire to garden stronger, which is a great "problem" to have!~ You get first pick of all the new plants available in 2003.~ It gives you more time to visit your favorite garden centers.