Happy first day of March, everyone! The gardens here at Clover Hill are an absolute mess just now, with some areas squishy and thawed, and other places frozen beneath snow. We won’t be opening the pool this month, but we WILL attempt the following March House and Garden chores:
Outdoors
TIP: For more details about the various subjects in this post, click on the highlighted text.
Winter-Sowing. No matter the frigid weather, plant perennials and hardy annuals (including spinach) outdoors in make-shift greenhouses. Wait until later this month or early next to sow tender annuals and vegetables.
Play “Pick-Up-Stix.” Is your lawn littered with twigs and branches that broke loose during winter storms? Then do what I’m currently doing in thawed areas, and spend a few minutes each day picking up the debris. You’ll be glad to have the job completed before it’s time to fire up the lawn mower.
Gather and Shred Leaves. Shredded leaves make a terrific — and free — mulch for all veggie and flower beds. I shred mine with this light-weight machine.
Save Your Newspapers! I rely on the New York Times and a layer of mulch to keep my garden beds weed-free for an entire season. Here’s the how-to.
Arborvitae. If heavy, wet snow has flattened branches, lash them into place with twine. Stems should regain their upright habit over the course of spring and summer. More details.
Roses. Wait until the end of the month to uncover shrubs (you remembered to mulch them, yes?). Prune the shrubs at your convenience but before the leaf buds break. (I prune my David Austin roses back by half; I do not prune my climbing roses, except to relieve them of dead wood.)
Grab Your Pruners. Cut out all dead wood from trees and shrubs. Also, prune for shapeliness Peegee hydrangeas, Rose of Sharon, and other shrubs that bloom in late summer. Cut Buddleja (the common “Butterfly Bush”) back to ground-level now, unless you want a monster-size shrub (like mine, pictured above).
Iris. Examine these and other rhizomes for signs of heaving. Especially if your garden has not been mulched, you will need to go over plantings and firm back roots dislodged by frost.
Indoors
Spring-Flowering Trees & Shrubs. Want flowers for the house? Cut dormant stems of forsythia, pussy willow, crab apple (above), and quince. Give the stems water, light, and warmth (65°F max), and they will bloom for you in about two weeks time. More ideas.
Houseplants. These are growing rapidly now, due to lengthening hours of daylight. Reward them with extra food and water.
African Violets. Are yours refusing to bloom? Better read this post.
Forced Tulips & Other Dutch Bulbs. Only some of these are worth keeping for future planting outdoors. For details, be sure to read this jaw-dropping post: Forced Bulbs: What to Keep, and What to Toss.
Clean Your Bedroom. Or, just watch me clean mine.
Clean Your Stainless Steel Stovetop! Or, just watch me clean mine.
Make Almond Butter Cookies. As a reward for your garden and household work, treat yourself to these gluten-free delights. As cookies go, they’re practically healthy. My step-by-step recipe.
Bake a Seasonal Tart. Grab some fresh asparagus spears, and turn them into a tart. Check out my recipe for The Best Asparagus Tart in the World.
Make Molasses Whole Wheat Bread! This moist/light/aromatic loaf is easy to make. No standing mixer? You can mix and knead the dough entirely by hand, just as I do. Here’s the step-by-step recipe.
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Fern says
For some reason your email update (Feb.28/21) didn’t arrive today. So I “googled” the ‘net and found it…I do look frwd to the recipe demonstrations, your lighthearted insights, banter and tips as your culinary skills create. I have tried quite a few of your recipes….. thanks for adding more variety to our dining experience. Fern
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Fern – Glad you found me. I sent out the update first thing this morning!
Linda Valant says
How do you make chores look and sound so lovely!? I absolutely adore your emails ❤️
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Linda – It’s my special power. You are too kind.
Beverly, zone 6, eastern PA says
I got my jugs out later than usual because of all the snow we received. Finally they are in their sunny spot, getting some rain and snow as well. I hate duct tape and sought another method to keep the lids down. I draped tulle netting over the tops and anchored it beneath their metal tray. Works against marauding squirrels and affords moderate wind protection, too.
We have thick snow persisting! Big winds coming today will hopefully hasten evaporation. And then I will get to play pick-up-stix again.
Next up: showering off more dusty houseplants, many so large I am having trouble getting them into the shower stall. Your houseplants look great!!
Liliana says
Oh Kevin, lucky you over there, already in thaw-mode!
We are just starting the Big Meltdown over here in Ottawa, Ontario, but no outdoors chores yet. Too much snow and too cold.
For now, I cannot do anything but enjoy your updates and dream of Spring.
And I guess I could also start with the “indoors” ideas.
Thank you for your always positive emails!
Janice Todd says
For some reason I am no longer getting weekly blog. I don’t remember unsubscribing and would like to subscribe but don’t see where to do this.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Janice! I performed a thorough investigation (!), and it seems that you are still on the “active” list. Perhaps my emails are landing in your gmail “promotions” folder? Do have a look at that folder, and then let me know if you find me! (My latest update was sent on March 14.)
Sharon H says
Kevin,
Covered my raised bed with shredded leaves. Do you mix them in the bed or remove before planting? Mine do not appear to have changed in composition that much.
And assuming the bed needs to be turned over a bit right as it is compacted somewhat frontbencher snow..
Last year was my first time raised bed garden so trying to go it right !
Enjoying your posts!
Sharon
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Sharon H – You can dig the shredded leaves into the bed, or, easier, move them between planted rows. With the latter method, the leaves will be accessible for mulch as seedlings grow. Hope you have a wonderful planting season!