What's Happening in the Garden
in March
by Donald Ray Burger
Attorney at Law
What's in Bloom
Allysum in bloom (2009, 2010)
Amaryllis in bloom (1999, 2000, 2003, 2005)
Angel's Trumpet in bloom (2009)
Basil (2000)
Begonia 'Scarletta' in bloom (2001, 2004, 2005 * 2009)
Begonias (Whiskey) in bloom (1998, 1999, 2000)
Blackberries in bloom (1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, * 2009)
Blueberries in bloom (2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, * 2009)
Bluebonnets in bloom (2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, * 2009)
Bougainvillea 'Juanita Hatten' (2000, 2002, 2003)
Bridal's Wreath in bloom (1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, * 2009, 2010).
Butterfly weed (1999, 2000, 2001, 2005 * 2009)
Cape honeysuckle (2000)
Chinese Fringe Flower in bloom (2009)
Chives in bloom (2000, 2001)
Clasping coneflower in bloom (2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, * 2009)
Cigar plant (red) in bloom (1999, 2000, 2005 * 2009)
Cigar plant (pink) in bloom (2004, 2005)
Crown of Thorns in bloom (2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, * 2009)
Cyclamen in bloom (2000, * 2009)
Dahlberg daisies in bloom (3/23/97, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, * 2009).
Dandelion in bloom (2009)
Dianthus 'Bath's Pink' in bloom (2000, 2001, 2002, 2003)
Easter Lilies in bloom (2009)
Encore Azaleas in bloom (2009, 2010)
Esperanza in bloom (1999)
False Indigo in bloom (2000)
Fire cracker fern (red) in bloom (1998, 1999, 2000, 2004, 2005 * 2009)
Fire cracker fern (cream) in bloom (2004 * 2009)
Garlic chives in bloom (1999, 2000)
Golden Yaupon (1998, 1999, 2000)
Hardy Orchids beginning to bloom (1998 1999, 2000)
Hibiscus in bloom (3/24/97, 1999, 2000, 2005 * 2009).
Indian Paintbrush in bloom. (3/1/97) (3/1/98, 1999, 3/6/00, 2002)
Johnny-jump-ups in bloom (2000, 2001, 2002, 2003)
Kalanchoe in bloom (2000, 2002, 2005 * 2009)
Katie Ruellia in bloom (1999, 2000, 2005, * 2009)
Key Lime in bloom (1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2005 * 2009)
Lantana 'Lonesweep' in bloom (2001, 2002, 2004, 2005 * 2009)
Lantana 'yellow' in bloom (1999, 2000, 2001)
Lantana 'White' in bloom (2001, 2002)
Lantana 'White Lightning' in bloom (2001, 2002, 2004, 2005)
Lantana in bloom (1999, 2000, 2001)
Mexican Bush Sage in bloom (2000, 2004)
Mexican Heather in bloom (1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2005, * 2009)
Mexican honeysuckle in bloom (2000, 2001)
Mexican Lime in bloom (2000, 2001, 2005 * 2009)
Mexican Petunia (2005 * 2009)
Mexican plum in bloom. (2/25/96; 2/19/97, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2004, 2005 * 2010)
Meyer lemon in bloom (3/14/96, 1997, 3/1/98, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 * 2009).
Oleander 'Carnival' in bloom (2000, 2004, 2005 * 2009)
Oleander 'Petite Pink' in bloom (2000, 2004, 2005)
Parsley Hawthorne in bloom (2003, 2005 [removed to make room for Barbados Cherry in 2009])
Passionflower vine (red) (1998, 2000)
Peach Honey Babe in bloom (1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 [shovel pruned in 2004])
Peach 'Mid Pride' in bloom (1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 * 2009, 2010)
Peach 'Tropic Snow' in blooms ( 2009, 2010)
Pentas in bloom (1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2005 * 2009)
Peppers in bloom (2000, 2004 * 2009)
Plumbago (blue) in bloom (1999, 2000, 2001, 2004 * 2009)
Plumbago (white) in bloom (2005)
Pomegranate in bloom (2000, 2001, 2003, * 2009)
Possumhaw (1998, 2000)
Pyracantha in bloom (3/24/96; 3/19/97, 1999, 2000)
Pyracantha has beautiful red berries. (1997, 1998, 1999)
Pyracantha in bloom (2001, 2002, 2005)
Texas Red Bud 'Oklahoma' in bloom (3/17/96; 3/11/97; 3/5/98, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 * 2009, 2010)
Roses doing well in March include [Note: I no longer report March bloom because we prune mid-February and mostly have no blooms]: Adam's Smile (2000, 2001, 2005), Archduke Charles (2000), Belinda's Dream (2001, 2005), Black Jade (2001, 2005),Cherokee Rose in bloom (3/17/96; 3/5/97, 3/1/98, 2000, 2002), Charisma (2000, 2005), Chrysler Imperial (2000), Climbing Cecile Brunner (2000, 2001), Climbing Pinkie (2001), Climbing Rainbow's End (2000, 2001), Climbing Cramoisi Superieur (2000, 2001), Cuddles (2000, 2001, 2005...//.;.;,;.), Dee Bennett (2001), Don Juan has blooms (1996, 1997, 1998,1999, 2000, 2001. In 1996 and 1997 and 1998 it was the first hybrid tea to bloom), Dortmund (2000, 2001), Duchesse de Brabant (2000, 2001), Green Ice (2001), Gruss an Aachen in bloom (1998), Highway 290 Pink Buttons (2001), Hot Tamale (2000, 2001), Iceberg (2001), Jeanne Lajoie (2000, 2001), Jerry O (2001), Katy Road Pink (2001, 2002), Louis Philippe (1998, 2000, 2001), Maggie (2001), Martha Gonzales (2000, 2002), Monsieur Tillier (2001), Mutabilis, (1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001), Nearly Wild (2000, 2001), Old Blush (1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001), Orange Honey (2000, 2001), Peaches n Cream (2000, 2001), Penelope (2001), Popcorn (2000, 2001), Rise N Shine (2001), Sachet (2000, 2001), Scentimental (2001), Showbiz (2000), Sombruil (2001), Swamp Rose (2000), Sunsprite (2001), Vincent Godsiff (2001), Yellow Lady Banks in bloom (3/6/96; 3/30/97, 2000, 2001, 2002).
Rosemary in bloom (1997, 1998. 1999, 2002, 2005 * 2009, 2010)
Ruellia (standard) in bloom (2005)
Salvia (white) in bloom (1999, 2000)
Salvia 'Lady-in-red' (2000 * 2009)
Satsuma in bloom (1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003)
Sedum 'Autumn Joy' in bloom (2000, 2002 * 2009)
Stonecrop 'Brilliant' in bloom (2005)
Sweet Olive (1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 * 2009, 2010)
Society garlic in bloom (3/17/96; 3/23/97, 1999).
Texas Mountain Laurel in bloom.(3/3/96, 1997, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 * 2009)
Thunbergia Grandiflora still has blooms (1998, 2000, 2004 * 2009)
Tomatoes in bloom. (2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005 * 2009)
Turk's Cap still blooming. (1998, 1999, 2000 [shovel pruned in 2007 or 2008])
Valencia Orange in bloom (1998, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2004 * 2009)
Verbena in bloom (2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 * 2009)
Virburnum Suspensum (2000, 2004, 2005 * 2009, 2010)
Virginia Sweetspire in bloom (1997, 2003, 2004)
Walter's Viburnum is in full bloom.(1997, 1998, 2002, 2003, 2005)
Yarrow in bloom (2000)
What to Plant in March
First Week:
Tomato sets (slight gamble)
Second Week: Plant Southern Peas; summer squash; tomato sets.
First Half: lettuce, spinach
Second Half: egg plant, okra, Southern peas, peppers
Last week: eggplant, okra, southern peas
All: snap beans, snap pole beans, watermelon seeds, radish, tomato plants, garlic chives, horseradish root, oregano plants, rosemary, sage plants, sunflower seeds.
MISC
March 8: Traditionally considered the last likely frost date for Houston.
March 15 is the date that, 9 times out of 10, we've had our last frost.
Last week of March: fertilize lawn with Gardenville Soil Food if going organic or with Southwest Fertilizer Premium Gold or Easy-Grow Premium if going chemical.
You will see bluebonnet plants at the nurseries. It is ok to buy bluebonnet plants, but it is too late for bluebonnet seeds. They need to be planted in the fall.
Male three-toed Mexican box turtle comes out of hibernation (3/5/97; 2/28/98).