Flowers
> Hold on to poinsettias if you intend to plant them in the landscape after the cold weather is past. March is typically a safe planting month.
> Deadhead (remove old flowers) pansies and snapdragons to keep them blooming. If petunias start looking leggy, prune back hard and fertilize to force new growth.
> Cold sensitive bedding plants can be covered with leaves, pine straw, blankets, or row covers for protection. If using plastic, make sure to remove during warm sunny days and keep plastic from touching plants to avoid damage.
Fruits and Nuts
> Prune grapes in January or February. For muscadines, prune all branches that are less than 3/16” in diameter, leaving 2 to 3 buds per spur. Remove most of the spurs located at the top of the trunk to prevent crowding and bushiness.
> Now is the time to prune deciduous fruit trees. There are different training methods depending on the type of tree. The University of Florida has more info on pruning and training at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/mg345.
> Harvest citrus that are ripe before the freeze if temperatures are going to drop below 28°F for at least 4 hours. If fruit are not ripe, leave on the tree because citrus will not ripen once picked.
> If citrus scab has been a problem in the past, February is the time to apply a copper fungicide as new leaves emerge and 2/3 of the blossoms have dropped.
> Prior to a severe freeze, protect graft unions of young citrus by banking clean sand around the trunk just above the graft union.
> Now is the time to purchase and plant bare root fruit trees like pears and plums.
> Fertilize fruit trees in mid-February. For most fruit, use a citrus blend or peach/pecan special.
Lawns
> Service your lawnmower. Clean the mower, sharpen the blades, drain and replace the oil, drain or use up the gasoline and grease all fittings. Please remove the wire to your plug before working on your mower.
> Even though lawns may be brown, if there is little to no rain for several weeks, lawns may need supplemental water. The Irrigation Ordinance allows watering once per week if needed. Watering days for odd # addresses are Saturday and even addresses on Sunday.
> Pull cool season weeds like chickweed or Asiatic hawksbeard if they are going to seed. If warm season weeds were a problem last year, be prepared to treat before seeds germinate. Germination is based on soil temperatures, so treatment time can vary from mid-February to early March. Treat when day temperatures reach 65 to 70 F for 4 or 5 consecutive days. This usually is when azaleas and dogwoods are blooming.
Trees & Shrubs
> It’s time to prune deciduous plants, if needed. Remove rubbing branches, diseased or dead branches, and suckers from the base. Don’t prune spring flowering shrubs or trees until after bloom. Examples include: azalea, redbud, Japanese magnolia, and spirea.
> Prune roses and strip any remaining leaves from plants to reduce disease problems.
> Fertilize young ornamental plants in late-February or March with a specialty or 16-0-16 type fertilizer.
