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Right about now, many of us are wondering if spring will ever come. I can smell the first whiffs of springtime mud and I'm fighting the urge to shovel the remaining snow off my vegetable garden and plant some peas.

A regional gardening calender for the month of March can give you general tips on what to plant and what to wait for, but spring in the garden is unpredictable and won't be hurried. Gardeners will have to use some common sense. Take advantage of warm days, but don't trust your coddled seedlings to a weather report. And try not to do too much walking on wet soil. That will only compact it and make it harder for plant roots to breathe and grow. Here are some reminders of what you can be doing in the garden in March, now that winter is on its last legs.

Photo of Ipheion uniflorum (Spring Star Flower) © Marie Iannotti

Comments

March 1, 2009 at 4:45 am
(1) Garden Pictures says:

Haven´t seen any spring flower yet, seems it was quite a hard and long winter in the Northern hemisphere.

March 1, 2009 at 8:10 am
(2) Marie Iannotti says:

I know. Even my snowdrops aren’t up yet. And the snow is melting just in time for the cold winds of March. It will be interesting to see what kind of damage this winter caused. (Maybe interesting isn’t the right word.

March 1, 2009 at 11:47 am
(3) Ron says:

Nothing yet here in central Illinois. I keep a diary every year of when everything blooms. I don’t have any crocus anymore so the hyacinth, daffodils and forsythia are the first to flower. It’s usually around the beginning of April around here. My tulips are starting to push up though! Hey, it’s a start!

March 1, 2009 at 9:06 pm
(4) kp says:

Don’t worry everyone, its coming up there soon! Here in south Texas, today was our last average freeze day. I have sweet peas, oxalis and pink jasmine blooming!

March 3, 2009 at 9:57 pm
(5) DONNA says:

In Northeastern Colorado it is so DRY, we’ve hardly had any moisture. Still haven’t seen my early tulips yet. The mountains are getting the snow, and when it melts the farmers that can still farm (another story in Colorado)and use irrigation will, be in good shape. Where I live, I’m on the plains, and those of us out here depend on the snow & rain. So send some snow or rain our way!!

March 1, 2010 at 4:29 am
(6) Tim Vaughan says:

It is really great to have a home garden most especially if it is an Organic Garden . The vegetables are healthier in an organic garden.

March 3, 2010 at 12:53 pm
(7) HerbalT says:

Still nothing here in SW Virginia. Just more snow last night – although only a dusting (at least everything looks clean again). I am absolutely CHOMPING AT THE BIT. Garden catalogs are strewn everywhere, but I’m starting to get impatient! The way things are going, though, even if things do warm up, we’ll probably have a late freeze, so I won’t plant anything major until after Memorial Day.

October 4, 2010 at 11:31 pm
(8) Ancient Greek says:

If you know how to plant and grow crops you will not experience hunger for a lifetime

October 5, 2010 at 12:24 pm
(9) Marie Iannotti says:

There’s an uplifting thought. Never underestimate the importance of farmers and gardeners.

March 3, 2011 at 9:25 pm
(10) Bamboo Poles says:

Hate winter and seems that it never ends.
Is Spring coming soon???
Walking among the flowers is the most amazing thing I could imagine right now.

March 3, 2011 at 10:54 pm
(11) ella miller says:

This is the worst winter I have experienced.I am so eager to plant but really worried about such changes in the weather.Last year was not a good year for tomatos or peppers ,our cukes and squash were OK.The darn japanese beatles will probably gnaw on everything.Hope springs eternal ,so I try try again.Good Luck to all my gardening friends.

March 4, 2011 at 5:11 pm
(12) gardening says:

Well, you know what they say – If you don’t like the weather, wait a minute. It will change. Only a few more weeks and we’ll all be playing in the mud. I just know it.

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