Landscapes, Gardens & More in the Florida Panhandle

MARCH 2019

Spring Time. Yes, spring is almost here, and the weather has left many of us with opportunities to have things our way. Some have already planted potatoes and greens. Others are working on the yard or tilling the garden spot. Raised beds are being prepared for planting. The air is filled with activity. Now is the time for decision making that will affect the landscape of the summer and the fall. Wise choices will fill the open spots in the yard and add to the beauty to our neighborhood.

Trees may need replacing because of the hurricane or maybe it is just time. Consider your plan as to how the trees you plant will look year- round and the space they will need as the years pass. A six-foot tree now may be thirty feet tall in fifteen years and twenty-five feet across. Too close to the house will result in roots under the foundation causing damage. A little research and planning will help you have a successful yard that you and the neighbors will enjoy. Fertilize the trees after the fifteenth of March unless they are pecans. You may apply fertilizer the last week of February and the first week of March for them.

Shrubbery may also need replacing or trimming. If the plants have been there a long time and have big trunks, it may be time for replacement because it is past it’s prime. A new look or just new plants will be easier to maintain and train into the space you have for them. Maybe you are changing the color of your house and new plant colors will brighten the exterior. Fertilize the shrubbery after the fifteenth of March when it starts actively growing.

You have already mowed the lawn for the first time. Probably not much grass to cut but the winter weeds have grown abundantly. Now is the time to think about lawn maintenance. Not quite time to fertilize yet but you can go ahead and do your soil test. This will tell you the correct fertilizers to use when the grass starts growing. Fertilizing before the grass is growing well will help the winter weeds and waste your fertilizer. When the grass is actively growing it will absorb the fertilizer.

Back to the garden. Be sure you are planting the right crops at the right time. Many plants require a warmer soil in order to germinate. Check with your plant specialist or county agent. They have charts that will guide you in planting vegetables at the right time.

Please check with us here at Maphis Nursery and Tree Farm, for all your plant needs. You may contact us at 850-638-8243, maphistreefarm@bellsouth.net or come by and see us at 1534 Orange Hill Road in Chipley. www.maphisnurseryandtreefarm.com