San Diego County has had a lot of rain this season, and more is forecast for this weekend. So don’t turn on your water just yet unless the ground has dried out. Before you start irrigating again, check your sprinklers or drip lines for leaks and make sure they are delivering water where it’s needed. Don’t let the water hit your house. Not only is this wasteful, it will also damage your stucco or siding.
Here are a few more March gardening tips.
BULBS
If your bulbs have finished blooming, and they are suited to our climate, like many daffodils or bugle lily (Watsonia), you can cut off the flower stems, but don’t remove the leaves. As they die back, they feed the bulbs.
You can help this process by giving them a light feeding. Only remove the leaves after they have turned yellow or brown. You can plant something in front of your bulbs or push the leaves down to hide them.
FRUIT TREES
When you see new growth starting on your mature fruit trees, it’s time to fertilize them. You can divide the fertilizer into three parts and apply it in six-week increments. Follow directions given with your fertilizer, but most mature fruit trees need approximately one pound of nitrogen per year.
If you still have dormant deciduous fruit trees and vines, finish pruning them before they begin new spring growth.
FEED SUCCULENTS
Fertilize succulents that are showing new growth. Use a balanced, 20-20-20 fertilizer and dilute it to half strength. Make sure you have watered the plants before you fertilize them.
PLANT VEGGIES
I love our year-round growing season. You can grow many spring vegetables here all winter long. You still have time to grow some cool-season vegetables before the weather gets too warm. Try beets, carrots, chard, chives, endive, green onions, lettuce and spinach.
Once there’s no chance of frost and the soil is warming up, you can also plant some warm season vegetables like tomatoes, peppers, melons, eggplant and snap beans. You may need to cover them at first to help them get a good start.
A lot of information for March Gardening Tips 2019 comes from the Master Gardener Association of San Diego County. They are a great resource for all of your gardening needs including planting, pests, vegetables, and water use. They even have a free hotline where you can get your home gardening and pest control problems answered.