• Roses starting to leaf out?  They're hungry feeders so go ahead and start fertilizing them every 4-6 weeks with Master Nursery Rose & Flower Food.

• Now's a good time to give your roses a feeding of either Magnesium Sulfate (Epsom Salts) or Alfalfa Meal to help stimulate basal breaks which leads to new cane formation.

• Got Aphids yet?  If you don't, you will.  Nothing says spring like the fresh new growth emerging from your plants.  And nothing says "BUFFET!" to the aphids like the fresh new growth emerging from your plants.   The good news is that beneficial insects such as Lady Beetles and Praying Mantids control most Aphid infestations naturally.  But when the infestation becomes a problem, use Master Nursery PestFighter Year-Round Spray Oil.  This non-toxic, ultra-fine oil smothers the aphids and can be used on fruits and vegetables up to the day of harvest.

• Powdery mildew (white mildew covering flower buds and/or leaves) may show up on your roses this month.  An early morning spray of either Green Light Rose Defense or E-Rase Powdery Mildew Control twice, ten days apart, will do the trick.

• Did you have rust on your roses last year?  There are some early spring tasks that need to be done to help control it.  See our "How-To" Guide on Controlling Rust for details.

• Watch your Peach and Nectarines trees for the first signs that the buds are swelling.  Once buds begin to swell, it's time to spray for Peach Leaf Curl with one of our copper or lime-sulfur based dormant sprays.

• Brown spots on your apples again?  Be sure to hang two coddling moth traps in each apple tree.

• Are those pesky lawn weeds beginning to show up?  Begin feeding your lawns with Master Nursery Weed n Feed.  Water your lawn first, give a good mowing then apply the Weed n Feed and do not water for 48 hours.

• Weeds in your lawn last year?  Instead of a regular fertilizer use Master Nursery Pre-Emergent Weed Preventer and Lawn Food and stop weeds before they start!

• Thinking of laying a new sod lawn?  Be sure to check our "How-To" Guide for New Sod Care.

Remember: You cannot use pre-emergent products for 3-4 months prior to seeding a lawn or laying sod. You can, however, use Master Nursery Broadleaf 4-M or Master Nursery Kleen-Up 3-4 days before seeding or laying sod. 

• If you have had problems with Bermuda grass in your lawn last year, it's about that time when it will reappear.  Begin spraying with Turflon Ester, which controls broadleaf weeds as well as Bermuda grass in established lawns.

• For oxalis and spurge, use Master Nursery Broadleaf DSO Weed Killer.  It can be sprayed over entire lawns. Because of the aggressive nature of oxalis several applications will be needed.

• Snails and slugs are as active as always so be sure to keep plenty of Master Nursery Pest-Fighter Slug and Snail Bait on hand.  Have pets or kids?  Use either Sluggo or the Snail Jail and send those pesky snails to "The Big House"!

• Now's a good time to prep your soil for the upcoming vegetable season.  Here's how:

Mix 1 bag of Master Nursery Paydirt w/SoilNRich  in the bottom 8 inches - one bag per 100 sq.ft.

Next mix 1 bag of Master Nursery Bumper Crop into the top 4 inches.

Add 5 lbs of Master Nursery Tomato & Vegetable Food per 100 sq. ft. to a depth of 6 inches. 

• Time to start seeds indoors for spring vegetables.  Find a nice warm window and keep them moist!  Tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, squash, and melons to name a few all work well.

• Got Aphids yet?  If you don't, you will.  Nothing says spring like the fresh new growth emerging from your plants.  And nothing says "BUFFET!" to the aphids like the fresh new growth emerging from your plants.   The good news is that beneficial insects such as Lady Beetles and Praying Mantids control most Aphid infestations naturally.  But when the infestation becomes a problem, use Master Nursery PestFighter Year-Round Spray Oil.  This non-toxic, ultra-fine oil smothers the aphids and can be used on fruits and vegetables up to the day of harvest.

• It's still a little chilly at night so be sure to wrap your tomato cages with an Easy Gardener Plant & Seed Blanket.   This fabric creates a greenhouse effect, protecting your plant from light frost while improving plant growth and keeping insects at bay.

• It's time to prune your Azaleas and Camellias.  Wait until they have finished blooming before tipping them back.  Remember, If you wait too long to prune them you will be removing next years flower buds.

• Bulbs done blooming?  It's a good time to give them one last feeding of Master Nursery Master Bloom 0-10-10 as they are in the process of storing up food for next season.

• Before turning your sprinkler timers back on for the summer months, pull off the endcaps and flush them well.  Once back on, thoroughly check that all emitters are functioning properly and there are no leaks.

• Cut back those ornamental grasses that are showing a lot of dead blades. 

• Most ground covers, usually the lower growing varieties, can be mowed back early this month.  After mowing, it's a good time to feed them with an all purpose fertilizer in preparation for spring.

• Time to lay down a layer of Master Nursery Goldrush.  This topdressing serves many purposes including keeping weeds in check, smothering over wintering fungus spores, keeping roots cool as the weather warms, and most importantly it will break down during the course of the year adding much needed organic matter to your soils.

• If you haven't done so already, there still time to prep your flowerbeds for the upcoming spring season.  Here's How:

Mix 1 bag of Master Nursery Paydirt  in the bottom 8 inches - one bag per 100 sq.ft.

Next mix 1 bag of Master Nursery Bumper Crop into the top 4 inches.

Add 8 cups of Master Nursery Rose & Flower Food per 100 sq. ft. and mix into a depth of 4 inches 

• If you are trying to "blue-up" your Hydrangeas, it is time for your final application of sulfur.  If you're trying to get more pink in your flowers, applications of lime will accomplish this.  Use an oyster shell lime as opposed to dolomite lime as it adds more to the soil over time.