Spring is in the air! The fruit trees are starting to bloom and I have spotted a few bluebonnets already on the roadsides. Here are a few tips and tasks for spring gardening.
Begin planning and preparing your spring garden beds for crops like tomatoes, peppers, squash, and other vegetable crops. Check your irrigation system for leaks and incorporate compost into the top six inches of soil.
The average last freeze date for Williamson County is March 4, so we are very close to time to plant vegetable transplants in the garden. I like to wrap my tomato cages with frost cloth to protect the tender transplants from wind and full sun for the first few weeks in the ground.
Early spring-blooming shrubs like spirea, quince, and forsythia should be putting on a show of blooms soon, if they are not already blooming. Remember that these shrubs should be pruned after they bloom if you need to do any shaping or size-control.
Spring is the time of year that many crape myrtles are severely pruned back or topped. Do not do this! We call this “crape murder,” and it is not a good horticultural practice. Severe pruning or topping of crape myrtles will lead to a weak branching structure and invite pests. If you need to control the size of your crape myrtle, try selectively cutting out branches that are rubbing against a house or roof.
Winter weeds are making a strong showing in many of our lawns. Keep these weeds from forming flowers and seedhead by mowing them frequently or hand-weeding to prevent more weeds next year. Now is the time to apply a pre-emergent herbicide to prevent any summer weeds from germinating.
March is a great time to check your lawn irrigation system for leaks or damaged heads. We do not need to start watering turfgrass yet because it is still dormant. You can wait to turn on your sprinkler system until you have actively growing grass and weather conditions get dry. Hopefully we get enough rain this spring to delay the need for supplemental watering.
Now is a great time to submit a soil sample for testing to see if you need to apply fertilizer to your lawn. Remember, we apply fertilizer in mid-April after the lawn has started actively growing. You do not need to provide nutrients to your lawn now while it is still dormant. Wait until you have green, growing grass to supplement any nutritional needs of your lawn. Find information about a soil test at soiltesting.tamu.edu/. You can apply a top-dressing of fine compost to your lawn this spring. That’s a great practice every year to improve your soil and provide slow-release nutrients to your lawn.
The Williamson County AgriLife Extension Office and Master Gardener Volunteers have several great opportunities for you to learn more about lawns and gardens. Check our calendar at williamson.agrilife.org/ for more information about the Lawn & Garden 101 series, Green Thumbs Up, Hands on in the Garden, and the Master Gardener Monthly Meeting. And mark your calendar for the Master Gardener Plant Sale in Georgetown on April 6.
For more information about lawns and gardens, contact Kate Hajda, Williamson County Extension Horticulturist, at 512-943-3300.
