What’s In Bloom in March

Maintenance Tips In March

Fertilizing needs this month:

The month of March is usually where we see Spring time temperatures start to make their appearance here in the Myrtle Beach area. Even though it is beginning to feel like Spring more consistently, it is very important to remain patient during this time when it comes to fertilizing your lawn. During March, warm season grass lawns are either still in dormancy, or are slowly making their way out of dormancy. Fertilizing your lawn too early in the Spring can cause irreparable damage to your lawn if a late-season frost were to occur. Your lawn is not safe for a fertilizer application until the month of April!

While the month of March is too early in the season for lawn fertilizing, it is the perfect time to apply pre-emergent weed control to prevent any unwanted crabgrass growth once the growing season is in full force. Weed prevention is always the most effective way of keeping your lawn weed-free all season long, so it is very important to begin protecting your lawn from weeds now, this March.

Pruning needs this month:

As we transition from the Winter season to the Spring season, it is important to use this time to do any last-minute winter pruning on some of your trees and shrubs while they are still in their late stages of dormancy. Here are some trees and shrubs that could benefit most from some late winter pruning this March: 

• Crape Myrtles & Roses – It is not too late to do some last minute shaping on your Crape Myrtles and Rose Bushes! Be sure to double check that there is not any early Spring growth already present before you make any cuts on your plants. As long as there is not yet any new growth present, it is still a good time to prune your Crape Myrtles and Rose Bushes. 
• Oleander – Oleanders are known for pushing out early Spring growth around mid-March here in the Myrtle Beach area. That means that these first 2 weeks of March are your last chance to get some pruning done on your Oleanders. Be sure to inspect your plant for any new growth before making any cuts. Oleanders thrive most off of late-Winter pruning because oleanders bloom on new growth. Pruning right as your plant is exiting dormancy and entering its growing season encourages as much new wood growth as possible, in turn creating an abundance of new blooms this Spring. 

Additional monthly tip:

If you own any Live Oak trees, Water Oak trees, Laurel Oak trees, or Willow Oak trees, you can expect a significant increase in shedding from these trees beginning this March, and continuing into April.