March

• Cleanup your yard.  Pick up any left over leaves and twigs that have fallen during the winter months.
• Cutback ornamental grasses, all types of Ferns, all varieties of Liriope, Epimedium, Sambucus canadensis, Salix purpurea 'Nana', Cotinus, Buddleia, and Caryopteris.
• Prune shrubs and hedges before the bud break. (For hedges, the bottom should be wider than the top.) Prune any summer-flowering shrubs (including Rosa, Hydrangea, Hibiscus syriacus (Rose of Sharon), Spiraea, or Clethra.
• Prune vines on trellises as needed. Cut back Clematis paniculata to 1/3 of its size. Do not cut any other Clematis species until after they bloom.
  Do not prune any of the "bleeders"-Betula (Birches), Acer (Maples), Cladrastis lutea (Yellowwood)
• Compost all of your garden trimmings.  (If you don’t have room to compost, take the leaves to a local composting site.  Chances are that you can get compost there when you need it as well.) Information on composting can be found at http://extension.missouri.edu/explore/agguides/hort/g06956.htm
• Fertilize perennial beds when the ground thaws
• Apply Mulch if necessary. Do not cover with more than three inches especially around perennials. Do not build mounds around the root flares of trees.
• Apply elemental Sulphur or Aluminum Sulphate to acid-loving shrubs that are not a good green color.