Thursday, March 1, 2012

March Garden "To Do List"

   Can you believe that it is already March? February flew by so fast! Well this is the month that things start to get moving and moving fast here in West Virginia or in Zone 6. Farmers will start having lots of additions to their live stock, fields will have to be drug and gardens tended to. Gardeners will have to start their seeds, and get stuff ready for the growing season ahead. I hope that most of you have already got things planned out for this growing season. If you don't you better get with it!
  Plants that need to be started indoors are plants like:  Kohlrabi, Leaf Lettuces, Spinach, Tomatoes, Peppers, Swiss Chard, Turnips, Head Lettuces, Eggplants. You can wait on turnips until the end of the month and directly sow outside if you want! It still isn't to late to start your Broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, ect. indoors either. From more on seed starting CLICK HERE!
  Plants that you can directly sow outside this month are: Peas, Turnips, beets, onion sets and radishes. My grandmother always planted her potatoes after St. Patties Day. Her family was Irish and she always told the stories of the Irish Potato Famine. She wasn't part of it but I remember telling us about it and I always have put the two together now.
  Other things that need to start being done are:
  1. Plant Broad-leaf Evergreens
  2. Prune Raspberries and fruit trees
  3. Build High Tunnels
  4. Plant nonflowering trees and shrubs
  5. Plant Roses
  6. Fertilize Spring bulbs
  7. Plant Asparagus
  8. Set Strawberry plants
  9. Plant Rhubarb
  10. This is a good time to divide your perennials 
  11. Get Row covers ready for freeze protection
  12. Also make sure not neglect your time with God, in study and prayer
  Other big events that are happening this month are on the 11th we spring forward on "daylight savings time". The 17th is St. Patrick's Day, and on the 20th is the first official day of spring, even though it has felt like spring for two months here! 
  March 9,10&11 will be the WSAZ Home and Garden Show at the Charleston Civic Center! You can also visit West Virginia University Extension Service for exact dates to plant for your specific area of West Virginia!
  Well get started and remember always keep your eye focused on the must important thing and that is the Almighty God, the Creator of everything that we are so excited to get out and in!
Ecclesiastes 12:1 "Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth, Before the difficult days come, And the years draw near when you say, “I have no pleasure in them”

I am linked up to:
No Ordinary Homestead Link Up 

28 comments:

  1. Oh Clint! Sounds awesome there!! We're still completely covered in snow.. :( And more to come on Saturday. And all I want to do is get out there and play in my garden with my kiddos! :) Someday...someday Spring will come. :)

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    1. Yes it will come soon. When is the average first day of spring weather there?

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    2. Now that is a good question...could get a couple of nice days by the end of March but nothing really solid until the middle of April with some variance from year to year.

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  2. Replies
    1. Not in my Raised Beds that I use now. All the soil in them is from my compost bins over the years but we used to on the farm. How about you?

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    2. everything is double dug, the raised beds and the potato and grain patches in the back

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    3. Cool! Now I will turn new compost in when I get started.

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  3. Howdie Mr. R. Gardener--
    We've not felt a very cold winter here either! I can't believe how mild it has been. We were able to grow so much over the past winter and extended the growing season and the learning season,too!

    I'm grateful for the produce that we harvested and are still, in fact growing. Our temps are pretty mild---I'm thinking of just sowing most of the veggies straight into the ground. I can't help but wonder, why do we question whether a plant should be grown indoors, or started indoors; when the LORD God planted everything outdoors? Have you ever thought that?
    I used to laugh when someone would say, this plant grows well outside or insided...I often thought, ALL PLANTS are outdoor plants!

    Anyway-- I'm like you and will be starting my tomatoes and peppers inside,probably this weekend. In fact, I probably should have done that already!
    I just planted potatoes yesterday and have onions in already too. It's funny, just yesterday, I harvested my very first cabbages and sweet peas! They've been growing all winter!

    God is good-- I'm very blessed to be on the learning curve! He is patient with me as I continue to learn-- a late bloomer~ Pat

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    1. Thats a good point! My brother asked me a few days back, when we were supposed to get bad weather, what he should do with his plants that had already sprung up. I told him "Just let God take care of them." So I guess maybe we could listen a little more to that advice, lol!

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  4. Seems like your growing season there is almost on track with us in Germany...maybe a bit ahead. I'm looking forward to getting our garden growing again and some seed started!

    I host a weekly garden link up on Fridays and would love to have you drop by!

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    1. I think they are a lot alike, I love Germany, for reason of heritage! Maybe one day I will get to revisit!
      On another note, my great grandparents moved over to the U.S. from the Black Forest area of Germany. I have been to Germany 1 time but would love to come back to visit that area and find out more about that side of my family!

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  5. Wow it is hard to believe that it's March already. What a busy month in store, especially if am going to plant some Raspberries and perhaps a fruit tree like I want.

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    1. Very hard to believe! Let us know how the raspberries turn out.

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  6. Last year my asparagus didn't take, but I'm going to try again!

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    1. I think you will do much better this year. Asparagus needs lots of soil preparation!

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  7. Do tomatoes have to be planted in March? Or can you wait till April to plant them? Greetings from the ocean shores of California, Heather :)

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    1. You can wait til April. This is just when most people start to get them started indoors for a early start. You all probably have a longer growing season anyway, right?

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  8. I only want to plant one pear tree in my backyard. Which one does not need another for cross pollination? Thanks!

    Lisa

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    1. My dad raised bees and had a small orchard. If I can remember correctly he always told us that Bartlett and Anjou (I think that's how you spell it) were self-fruitful but he always said that a person would get a much larger yield if you cross-pollinated. I believe he said that bees didn't normally go after the nectar in a pear blossom, (that I don't know why). Ask the green house in your area as well, there may be newer breeds that I don't know about. Let me know what you end up picking out, Lisa!

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  9. You've got a lot on your 'to do' list.. mine's much shorter!

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  10. What a wonderful post. We are looking forward to our first planting. Hugs

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    1. Hello! Glad you stopped by, please make your self at home!

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  11. Wow CLint,
    You're going to be very busy this month. I am crossing my fingers (I started way too early this year). I look forward to reading about your progress. Have a great week ahead.

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  12. I'm afraid but encouraged to make a "to do" list. Since I usually make the list and Charlie executes it, if he sees it before the formal presentation he might rip it up or burn it. Can't wait to see "how your garden grows" this season. Jo @ Let's Face the Music

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