What about this weather!?!?
I am serious when I caution you about not putting away the frost protection, or pruning too much or too soon.
Back in 2012 we had a March that ranged from 32 to 94 (and that was in the warmer parts of the valley), with hail on March 18 and 19. The weather was pretty much like this year with February ranging from high 80s to freezing.
Forewarned is forearmed with frost protection and poor man's cloches!
I am presenting a Lecture this coming Saturday, February 20, 2016 at 1:30 p.m. at Mesa Urban Garden. It is FREE and you can enter a raffle for a copy of my 2016 Wall Calendar.
https://www.facebook.com/events/1565175247136410/
I hope to see you there, but if you can't make it I am always happy to answer questions via email, or in person at the Mesa Community Farmers Market, every Friday morning in downtown Mesa.
March PLANTING:
Artichoke, Jerusalem
Artichoke, Globe
Basil, Plant or seed
Bay, Greek aka Sweet
Bean, Lima
Beans, Snap
Beans, Soy (March 15th)
Bee Balm
Beets
Cantaloupe
Carrots
Catnip, Plant or Seed
Chives, Garlic, Plant or seed
Chives, Onion, Plant or seed
Corn
Cucumbers
Eggplant
English Daisy
Epazote, Plant or seed
Hollyhock
Jicama
Lavender
Lemon Grass
Lemon Balm
Lemon Verbena
Marigolds including ,Citrus Scented (Tagetes Nelsonii), Tangerine Scented (Tagetes Lemonii)
Marjoram
Melons, Winter
Melons, Musk
Mints
Myrtle
Okra
Onions, Green
Oregano, Mexican
Oregano, Greek
Peppers
Perilla, Plant or Seed
Portulaca
Pumpkin
Radishes
Rosemary
Safflower
Sage
Savory
Scented Geraniums
Squash, Winter
Stevia
Summer Squash
Sunflower
Sweet Alyssum
Tarragon, Mexican
Tarragon, French
Thyme
Tomatillo
Tomatoes
Watermelon
GARDEN TIPS for March
If you are just now thinking about planting, see Flower Mulching technique. And run, do not walk, to purchase a water meter from your favorite garden nursery. The gallop into high heat can occur this month with such rapidity that we can go 70 to 95 in 30 days. (In a rare occurrence, we hit a 100 one year on March 29th.)
Get a jump on spring with weed cleanup. Some pests breed on the winter weeds and can launch an incredible attack (a type of gnat can assume locus swarm proportions), which may cover everything light or white in color, plants, flowers, buildings, even clothes drying on the line.
Perennial herbs will be starting to flower by end of March / beginning of April. If you use thyme, marjoram, oregano or any of the trailing herbs as ground covers, enjoy the blooms, then give them a hair cut. Remember the flowers are edible!
HAIL!!! Is a possibility in spring as the soil warms, and weather highs and lows bring alternating warm and cool air mass. If you add winds to the mix HAIL is a strong possibility. Keep your frost protection covers/poor man’s cloches handy.
Pruning hold off heavy pruning until mid-March to avoid freeze damage to the plant. Old frost damage actually protects the plants. Begin pruning a little at a time over several days to allow the covered plant to adapt.
FLOWER MULCHING TECHNIQUE
Some years ago I tripped across this idea when I wanted to grow a lot of basil fast, and I was planting late into the heat (late spring, early summer).
First, what is going on that a special technique needs to be used? As the spring and summer day time temperatures climb into the high 90s and 100s, the surface of ANYTHING heats up and stays hot -- remember burning your feet on the pool surrounds? By July and August the surface afternoon mean temperature of soil, the sides of pots, asphalt and concrete can be as high as 180 degrees F! That includes the top 3-4 inches of soil. Without a protective canopy or surround the soil heats up to root killing levels.
So back to the basil. It was June and as I say I wanted a lot of basil fast, and so I planted about 8 young starter basil plants out of 3-4 inch containers, planting them about 6 inches apart. As I watched them over the course of a couple of weeks, the outer plants one by one died off. But the 1 or 2 plants in the center not only lasted, they thrived.
So what was going on? The outer plantings shaded the sides of the center plants, but still allowed the very necessary direct sunlight from above to feed (photosynthesis) the center plants. The outer plants leaves, while canopying the soil around the center plants also keep the soil surface cooler and moister until the center plants grew big enough to be their own canopies.
My "Flower Mulching" technique was born. Not wanting to sacrifice primary edibles, I turned to seasonal edible flowers to provide the initial protection.
THE TECHNIQUE: Imagine a 12 inch diameter circle. Place your primary herb, vegetable or fruit plant in the middle and using 3-5 flowers from a six pack or 3-5 4 inch flowers plant very close to the primary plant staying within the imaginary 12 inches. You can also plant the flowers first and then the primary plant, or you can use existing plantings to perform the same service. Many of the flowers will survive to be used in salads etc. (which is why I choose seasonal edible flowers). If the flower plants were not grown organically or without chemicals, wait 90 days before harvesting the flowers for food use.
Enjoy the weather and get your growing on!
-- Catherine, The Herb Lady
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