It's March and Time to Dig in the Garden

Although March is Colorado's snowiest month, it's also the month to begin Gardening. In between snowstorms, here are tasks to be done in the lawn or Garden:

• If the soil is tillable and not too wet, plant peas. St. Patrick's day is the traditional day to do this. You also can plant spinach, leaf lettuce, radishes and onion sets.
• Prepare soil. Add organic materials, such as compost, peat moss or manure.
• Run a soil test. Information about soil testing is available from your county office of Colorado State University Extension.
• Apply a pre-emergent weed killer to your lawn. If applied before seeds germinate, a pre-emergent can effectively control crabgrass, foxtail, barnyard grass and goosegrass.
• Apply dormant oil before plants leaf out. Dormant oils are horticultural sprays with high safety ratings for people and animals. Apply before leaf emergence to help manage scale insects, aphids and mites on trees and shrubs.

Bulbs sprouting too soon?

If bulbs are sprouting too soon, add more soil to the bulb beds. If your tulip and daffodil bulbs were poking leaves through the ground in mid-to-late February, it's probably because they were not planted deep enough. In Colorado, bulbs need to be planted deeper than generic recommendations. Tulips, daffodils and hyacinths should be planted about 10 inches deep instead of the commonly recommended six to eight inches. Next year, if your previously planted bulbs send up leaves too early in the season, add a couple of inches of loose soil or mulch. This will increase planting depth and keep them from freezing their little leaves off.

The ABCs of bare root trees

In early springtime, most Colorado nurseries and Garden centers carry bare root trees -- often fruit trees. Bare root trees can be less expensive than those in containers. They can be shipped from various areas of the United States, thus you might find more choices than among container-grown trees. Be certain, however, that the trees you purchase are hardy to your area. Also, carefully inspect roots and prune out any broken roots. Roots should be creamy white in color and should not be dried out. Be prepared to plant the trees as soon as you get them home.

Time to wash seed-starting containers

Use a mild solution of household bleach and water to wash seed-starting containers. Once washed, place them outside to dry. When you plant seeds, use a sterilized media. You will find it at nurseries and Garden centers, often labeled as a "seed-starting mix." This type of planting media will help prevent damping off disease of young seedlings. DO NOT use soil from the Garden in which to start seeds.

For more information on Gardening, contact your local Colorado State University Extension office.