March 2011

“There are only two kinds of people in the world;
the Irish and those who wish they were”
         Old Irish Saying

Northeastern Region Weather Watch: Fair and cold (1, 2, 3) with cloudy skies and cooler temperatures (4, 5). Light snow in the North and rain in the South (6, 7, 8); Fair, windy, and a bit colder (9, 10, 11), returning to cloudy and cool weather (12, 13). Again, light snow in the North and rain in the South (14, 15, 16, 17) with more rain and snow (18, 19). Colder with snow in the North (20, 21) turning fair and cool (22, 23, 24). Heavy snow or rain in the South (25, 26, 27); Fair and cool once again (28, 29, 30, 31)

Full Moon: March’s Full Moon occurs on the 19th at 1:10PM EST. Many Native American Tribes called it SAP MOON because the sap would start to rise and run at this time throughout the region. Other tribes referred to it as Worm Moon because March’s warmer temperatures often softened the earth just enough to allow earthworms to begin burrowing out of the ground.

Special Notes: The Vernal Equinox will occur on Sunday, March 20th and signals the arrival of Spring (at last!). Don’t forget to "Spring Ahead" and set your clocks one hour ahead when Daylight Savings which begins on Sunday, March 13th at 2AM EST.

The Garden: It has long been a tradition to plant peas and potatoes on St. Patrick’s Day. Onion sets, asparagus, and rhubarb can also be planted now as well. Start to remove mulch covers from roses, azaleas, and other tender shrubs once nighttime temperatures rise into the mid-30’s. Leave mulch around Spring-flowering bulbs and tender perennials to provide protection to emerging shoots from cold, drying winds. Start to prune Summer and Fall blooming shrubs now but wait to prune Spring-blooming shrubs such as azaleas until after they bloom. Now's the time to plant deciduous and evergreen trees and shrubs, weather and soil conditions permitting. Start to remove excess thatch from your lawn. Aerate it and fertilize with an organic or chemical fertilizer. If necessary, treat lawns for crabgrass or annual bluegrass problems with a pre-emergent preventer. Wait for air temperatures to rise above 60 degrees F for at least 4 to 5 consecutive days and consider using a product that combines the two to save some time. Lastly, many regions have flower shows in the month of March. Check where one is going to held in your area and make plans to attend. They can be the source for many great ideas for your garden this year.

J. Grubers' Thought for Today's Living:

"If you are going to something good, do it now; if you are going to do a mean thing, do it tomorrow”

Index of Past Month's Entries