Robin’s Nest Floral & Garden Center – 9399 Ocean Gateway (route 50 Westbound between Easton Truck Center & Sharp Energy), Easton, MD 21601 (410) 822-8700 www.robinsnestfloral.com
Ken-Do Attitude Article ~ March 2023
Slowly Spring Into the Season
Spring is almost here! Usually, this is the time of year where we get a little eager to be out and in
the garden, but March can be deceptive. It’s important to exercise patience while keeping an
eye on the forecast. Don’t worry though, there’s still plenty of things to do before the ground is
ready for planting.
To-Do List
Attend a local gardening event, such as the four events Robin’s Nest is hosting this month! Join
us for a different indoor gardening workshop each Sunday in March. We’ll be having an Orchid
Repotting Workshop, Houseplant Party, Miniature Gardening Workshop, and Cacti & Succulents
Workshop. There’s no admission fee – you only pay for the supplies you use. If you’re
interested, you can RSVP on our Facebook page! Come hang out with other plant lovers while
learning about plant care and requirements, and more importantly – have fun with plants.
Weed, weed, weed! If you really want to get outside, here’s your first step. Remove those
wretched winter weeds that have taken over your garden beds.
If you tend to garden directly out of the ground, you might want to consider raised beds – as now
is a great time to build them. Raised beds provide better drainage, warm up quicker in the
spring, minimize the compaction of soil, and are awesome for root crops. If your garden plans
are complete, you can place trellises as well.
Organization and prep will help tremendously once it’s time to plant. If you have seeds picked
out or ordered, try organizing them in the order you plan to plant them in.
If you’re up for a tougher job, redefining the edges of your garden beds will help prevent grass
from overtaking the already established edges.
Additionally, when cutting your Daffodils for indoor floral arrangements, make sure to not
combine them with any other flowers in a vase. They give off a toxic substance that has the
potential to kill your other blooms prematurely.
To-Not List
Unless we have a dry March and have had a dry February, turning over soil is just going to
compound structural problems. Tilling wet soil can cause it to become cloddy and brick hard
when it dries out. So, try your best to refrain from walking on your garden beds. It will likely lead
to compaction, which can impede root penetration and cause poor drainage.
Although you’re probably antsy to plant right now, again, consider how cold and wet the soil is.
Seeds and tubers are both much more likely to rot in these conditions. So, consider starting
your seeds indoors if you’re eager to get going.
A great way to check your soil is to ball some up in your hand, then bounce it in your hand a few
times. If the soil breaks apart easily, then it’s likely alright to start digging.
Keep Your Houseplants Happy
It’s about time to start watering a little more frequently than you have been throughout winter.
The gradual increase in daylight hours and warmer temperatures will likely impact how often
your plants need water. Gradually increase your watering frequency to prevent overwatering.
Now that the sun is getting stronger as days are getting longer, you may need to consider
relocating some plants away from the window. Some might need to be moved further into your
space, or have a sheer curtain drawn to diffuse the sun’s rays – this will help avoid leaf burning.
Similar to increasing your watering frequency, decreasing light should be another gradual
process. Don’t forget some plants, such as succulents and cacti, probably won’t need to be
moved because they thrive in bright, direct light.
Plants typically need to be repotted every 12 to 18 months. Spring is one of the best times to do
so to provide plants with new nutrients and/or more space for the growing season ahead. Some
plants aren’t a fan of repotting and could go into shock, so make sure you’re only doing it for
those that absolutely need it. Several common signs that a plant needs to be repotted include
roots breaching the bottom of the pot or the top of the soil, water running through the soil
without soaking in, or if you pull the plant up and the roots are circling the bottom of the pot.
As mentioned in our last article, it’s also about time to start fertilizing your houseplants. It’s
important to remember fertilizer isn’t food for your plants: plants make their own food using light
during photosynthesis. Instead, think of it more like a multi-vitamin. It replaces essential
nutrients in the potting mix that are used up as a plant actively grows, so fertilizer should be
used sparingly and never in fresh soil.
Just remember even though it may be starting to warm up, the ground probably isn’t quite there
yet. So have patience, and take care of your garden and houseplants in the way that works best
for you this month. We look forward to seeing you at our events at Robin’s Nest every Sunday
throughout March!
Listen for Ken’s tips on the air Tuesdays & Thursdays (7:20am on 94.3 WINX-FM & 7:40am on 96.7 WCEI). Ken can be reached at Robin’s Nest at 410-822-8700.