Add mulch to your beds. Mulch around trees, shrubs, and vegetables. Adding a fresh layer of mulch helps your plants retain moisture and in turn reduces the stress on plants as temperatures continue to heat up.

Increase hand watering of your warm-season succulents such as ponytail palms (Beaucarnea recurvata, Zones 9–11), kalanchoe (Kalanchoe spp. and cvs., Zones 10–11), elephant bush (Portulacaria spp. and cvs., Zones 9–11), and blue chalksticks (Senecio serpens, Zones 9–11) to two to three times per month. If you have a drip system in place, now is the time to reset the schedule. For your established trees and shrubs, keep an eye on the rising temperatures. Continue to water slowly and deeply for best results.

Prune for health and structure. March is a great time to prune your evergreens, bougainvillea (Bougainvillea spp. and cvs., Zones 9–11), and lantana (Lantana spp. and cvs., Zones 8–11). Remove dead wood, frost damage, and offshoots of bougainvillea. Lantana can be cut to the ground to remove frost-damaged wood. You can also prune your lantana during the growing season to help shape them to your liking. But if you have the room, let them grow wildly. It only adds to their charm.

Consider adding ground covers. Keep an eye out for new perennial growth in your gardens. If you notice any bare spots, a decorative ground cover can be a great way to fill in the gaps while helping your garden retain more moisture. A couple of our all-time favorites are ice plants (Delosperma spp. and cvs., Zones 4–11) and ‘Angelina’ sedum (Sedum rupestre ‘Angelina’, Zones 5–9). Not only will these plants add dimension to your garden, but they’ll bring some amazingly vibrant colors to it as well.

Start planting cool-season edibles. Begin to plan cool-season edibles such as melons, cucumbers, peppers, sweet potatoes, and our favorite herbs: mint, thyme, and lemongrass. For an early harvest, you can plant parsley and cilantro before the temperature gets too warm. We love incorporating herbs and veggies in brightly colored containers. Not only does this keep them a bit safer from hungry animals, but the herbs will add some great interest alongside your flowering containers. One of our favorite tricks that we learned years back at a gardening seminar is to plant a cocktail garden. It doesn’t have to be large, but it’s a great way to grow herbs that are the perfect addition to any summer beverage. We like to plant rosemary (for gin), mint (for mojitos), and basil (for cucumber-basil margaritas). Have fun with it!

—Sheila Schultz and Laurel Startzel are a mother-daughter duo who founded Denver Dirty Girls Container Gardening while living in Denver and have continued their business since moving to Tucson, Arizona.

Fine Gardening Recommended Products

Flat Soaker Hose 75 150 FT for Garden Beds

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

Consistent & Even Watering Drip Irrigation Hose: Makes use of a clog-resistant fabric cover recycled vinyl for consistent slow soaking seep throughout its entire length. Deliver water to the entire area that it covers. Only certain areas of your garden bed getting watered. For waste-free watering in garden beds and other tight spaces. Waters the base of the plants so less water-related leaf damage. Linkable Garden Soaker Hose For DIY Irrigation System: End to end connectable drip water hose, flexible versatile Above-ground or bury it below a up to 3-inch layer of mulch or soil; this fit with garden hose threads and come with rust resistant end caps that make it possible to connect multiple hoses and works well with timers. Maneuverability And 100% Environmentally Friendly Drip Hose: Double layer design PVC Covered With Extra-Strength Fabric material protect from sun damage than rubber weeping hose; ensure the longevity of the soaker hose, which is ideal for you using it regularly through all seasons in your garden. Made of 100% environmentally friendly recycled vinyl, pass CA65 test, water is safe for ground which makes it perfect for use with vegetables, herbs, and other edible plants. Easy To Store Flat Soaker Hose: This irrigation drip hose flat design is kink-resistant, lies flat makes it a breeze to roll up and store for next season.The flat shape also makes it simple to snake under existing plant growth. One-Year Warranty on Flat Soaker Hoses: Ensure a water pressure of 40-90 psi for best results—hot water is not suitable.

Buy at Amazon

Berry & Bird Rabbiting Spade, Trenching Shovel

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

Ideal Tool for All Gardeners Use: Our heavy duty trenching shovel is designed by a professional gardening tool designer. Lifetime Durability: This heavy duty drain spade is made of high-quality stainless steel, it is very strong and durable, even if it is used for high-strength work, it will not bend. Ergonomic Wood Handle: The handle of this planting spade is made of ash hardwood harvested from FSC-certified forests and has an ergonomically streamlined design, making it very suitable for everyone's hands. Multi-Use: This digging shovel is generally used for digging trenches, digging holes, transplanting, edging, moving compost, cutting thick turf and furrowing. The sharp blade allows you to cut, scoop, dig, lift and dice in hard soil.

Buy at Amazon

Spearhead Shade Gardening Shovel with Steel-Reinforced Fiberglass Handle

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

Reduce Digging Effort - The Spear Head Spade is the first hybrid shovel/spade, guaranteed to make your toughest digging up to 80% easier than regular shovels and spades, even in the toughest soil conditions. Ideal for landscaping and gardening. Multi-Purpose Shovel - Spear Head Spade is a versatile tool that can be used for digging, planting, weeding, cutting, and edging. It is designed to handle tough soil and clay conditions, and can cut through roots and tough vegetation with ease. Innovative Design - Has a unique blade design that makes it more efficient and easier to use than traditional spades. The blade is shaped like a spearhead, with a pointed tip and a curved edge that allows it to penetrate the soil more easily. Ergonomic D-Handle - The large, cushioned D-grip offers comfort and better leverage for gloved and ungloved hands alike, reducing strain on the hands and wrists. Lightweight & Strong - Durable handle is made of special steel-reinforced, pultruded fiberglass to withstand heavy use. 60% stronger than EN-3388 shovel/spade standards, 33% thicker and 25% harder than normal shovels. Sharpened from tip to tail at a 35 degree angle for an effective and durable edge.

Buy at Amazon