Greetings, Lamar Community, and happy March!
If you are like me, then you are eager to spend some time outdoors and enjoy warmer weather. You may also be excited about working in your summer vegetable gardens. To kick off the month of March and help your gardens thrive this year, I’m sharing 4 things you should do before the first day of Spring.
- Decide on your warm-season vegetables. We want to maximize the length of our growing season, which means deciding on our vegetables now and being ready to plant when the time is right. Garden favorites like tomatoes, squash, peppers, okra, and corn will be ready to go at the end of March and early April, so decide now and purchase seeds for the varieties you want.
- Test your soil. Soil testing is a super easy way to learn about the nutrients available in your soil and tailor fertilizer use to your specific needs. Basing your fertilizer applications on recommendations provided in your test results can save you money while improving your yield.
- Mulch between garden rows. Mulching is a cost-effective and organic practice that can benefit your soil in a variety of ways. Maintaining a layer of mulch in between rows is a great way to suppress weeds that may otherwise overwhelm your garden later in the season.
- Harden transplants. If you are a proactive gardener and already have plants growing, don’t forget to harden plants by placing them outside in a sheltered place for a few days before transplanting them into the garden.
Bonus Tip: Prune those muscadines! Muscadines need to be heavily pruned to maximize their fruit production. It is best to do this while plants are dormant during the winter months, or before new growth begins in the spring. It may not be too late to prune yours, but time is running out!
If you are unsure how to prune muscadines, visit our Facebook page for a step-by-step video on the topic. Following Lamar County ANR Extension on Facebook is a great way to stay up to date with news and information from our office. You will also find flyers for events like this month’s Lunch and Learn on March 20, where we will taste different varieties of honey and discuss how nectar sources impact their taste and color. A 10-dollar pre-registration is required for this event, so call 770-358-5163 or visit our office to reserve your spot today. As always, don’t hesitate to reach out to Lamar County Extension for all of your agricultural and natural resource questions. Thanks!
Isaiah Moore, ANR Educator
Isaiah Moore
