Tom and I are still botanizing in Southeast Asia. If you want to get some notes from the road, sign up for our email at www.jenksfarmer.com.

We’re in the tropics, where plants grow year round. Yet many of the plants from these Laotian mountains thrive in South Carolina. Crinum grows in the river marshes!

Fertilizing Before the Last Frost

In Carolina gardens, plants start to break dormancy about now. Some people think fertilizing now stimulates growth that may be subject to late frost damage. But plants are smart. I believe, as do lots of scientists, that fertilizing now gets them prepped for spring growth, when other factors such as sunlight hours, air and soil temperature change, fertilized plants are ready to go.

So March work is:

Use granular fertilizer or compost on perennials and shrubs.

Fertilize palms and shrubs so they are ready to go when soil warms.

Fertilize and deadhead pansies.

Cut back Callicarpa, grasses, aloysia, salvias.

Divide more! I learned a trick from a nurseryman for dividing Stokesia. Dig the entire clump, then with a machete or spade, chop the top off. Plant the topless roots and rootless tops back in the ground, both will produce lots of new plants.

Looking Good

Scilla peruviana
Swiss Chard
Tulipa Red Hunter quote Ethan
Amaryllis (Hippeastrum)
Spraxis mixed with German Iris: Our best combo of the year! This shows the value of taking notes and pictures as when we were planning bulbs in October, we had both to suggest that these two plants would look great together.