Jeremy Rhoden: Marion County Master Gardeners Spring Festival is here!

March is full of many opportunities and responsibilities for the gardener; all of which are worth every second for a beautiful season! One of the greatest opportunities this month is the 26th annual Marion County Master Gardener Spring Festival, which kicked off yesterday and continues today from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Located at the Southeastern Livestock Pavilion in Ocala, this event is the area’s largest all-in-one plant sale and garden expo! Admission is only $2 per person and free for ages 12 and younger.

Free educational trainings will be provided. A few examples of topics being offered include how to attract bluebirds to your yard, rose gardens, attracting bees and butterflies to the garden, and many more! There also will be several opportunities for the kids, including a walk-through butterfly tent where they can feed the butterflies, and an area to pot their own plant to take home.

For more information on the Spring Festival, visit the Marion County Master Gardeners Facebook page at facebook.com/MarionCountyMasterGardeners.

March to-do list

Annuals: Let’s start by removing those annuals from last season that are barely hanging onto another day. Now is a great time to plant zinnias, angelonias and gazanias! Salvias are another great option that can be planted in March. There are hundreds of varieties of salvias, in all different colors, and they rarely have pest problems. You can find annual or perennial varieties of salvias, depending on your garden’s needs. For more information on salvias, visit gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/ornamentals/salvia.html.

Bulbs: Do you have shaded areas in your lawn that need color? Consider planting caladium bulbs this month. Every spring the base of my oak trees sprout hundreds of beautiful caladiums that last throughout summer and most of fall. With several varieties to choose from, I’m sure you will have no problem finding one that will look great in your landscape. Canna, gloriosa and dahlia are examples of a few other bulbs that can be planted in March and will provide beautiful color to any landscape!

Herbs: If you are looking to attract birds and pollinators in your garden, plant an assortment of herbs. Herbs are not only great in the kitchen, but attract many pollinators, including bees, birds and butterflies!

Vegetables: March is prime time for planting peppers, beans, squash, Swiss chard and many other delicious crops!

Don’t forget to get your soil pH checked out! Remember, vegetables prefer a slightly acidic soil with a pH between 5.8 to 6.5. If your soil is below 5.8, you can add lime to increase the soil pH. If the pH is too high, you can add sulfur and organic matter to lower the pH. The Master Gardeners at the Marion County Extension Office will gladly test your soil pH for you. Soil pH testing is only $2 per bag. Please call the Marion County Extension Office for further instructions. For more information on amending your garden soil, visit edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/VH024#.

Central Florida landscape

Azaleas: As soon as your azaleas finish blooming, begin pruning the shrubs. This will immediately encourage new growth and branching from the stems, creating fuller shrubs and promoting more blooms for next season. Don’t have azaleas? Go to your local nursery and choose from a variety of gorgeous colors to incorporate into your landscape. Azaleas are considered Florida-friendly, meaning they are low-maintenance and do well in Florida’s climate.

Shrubs: As we come to the end of the dormant season, you’ll begin seeing new growth on your shrubs, indicating the prime time to begin pruning. By cutting away old shoots, you promote new growth, which helps shrubs to fill out. For flowering shrubs, new shoots typically produce larger blooms, whereas older shoots provide structural support for the plant.

Trees: For those with oak trees, your lawns are probably covered with leaves at this time. Take advantage of the free mulch! Leaves break down quickly as organic matter in the soil, recharging the soil with additional nutrients. In addition, the leaves create a favorable environment for beneficial organisms, such as earthworms, that provide aeration to the soil and will ultimately improve conditions for sod and gardens. If you’re concerned with the looks of your lawn, consider planting shrubs around the base of your trees. When the leaves fall, they will naturally mulch around your shrubs, decreasing the piles of leaves that need to be raked up. If you simply want to get rid of the leaves, compost them.

Palms: Now is a great time to fertilize your palms. The University of Florida recommends using an 8-2-12, + 4 Mg. (meaning 8% Nitrogen, 2% Phosphorous, 12% Potassium, and 4% Magnesium) palm fertilizer at the rate of 1.5 pounds for every 100 square feet of canopy area. It is best to ensure that the fertilizer includes 100% control-release sources of N, K and Mg. When looking at the label, those elements should be indicated to contain polymer coated urea, which is a granule coated with polymer that slows the release of nutrients into the soil over time, instead of all at once. For more information on selecting a good fertilizer for your palms, visit blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/miamidadeco/2018/05/21/selecting-good-fertilizers-for-palms.

Upcoming programs at UF/IFAS Extension Marion County Office: Master Gardener Spring Festival, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. today; Your Florida-Friendly Yard 2-Day Program, March 23. Registration closes March 18; Edible Landscaping Field Day, March 25. Would you like a landscape that is attractive, easy to care for and edible? Spend a day at the 4-H farm to learn about edible ornamental landscaping, see pruning and propagation techniques, taste fresh, nutritious produce and teas, see a micro-irrigation system in action, and take home your own edible plant. Cost is $10 per person with lunch provided. Registration closes March 21.

For more information, or to register for programs, call 671-8400 or email Jeremy.k.rhoden@ufl.edu.

— Jeremy Rhoden is the Urban and Residential Horticulture Extension Agent and Master Gardener Coordinator at the UF/IFAS Extension Marion County. For more information, contact the office at 671-8400. The Extension Service is located at 2232 NE Jacksonville Road, Ocala, FL 34470.

This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Jeremy Rhoden: Marion County Master Gardeners Spring Festival is here!