15 Mar 2026 Who’s ready to dig in?

Brett Battle of The Plant Outlet shares what Central Arkansas gardeners should be doing now to prepare for the growing season.

What should people do to prepare their flower beds for the growing season? 

March is a great time to work on flower beds. The growing season is fast approaching, and getting ready early will increase your success. Prune all plants for shape and structure. Ideally, cut back no more than one-third of the plant. Days and nights are still cool, so this will not stimulate new growth too early.

It’s a good time to prune your roses and hydrangeas back, while also taking out any dead branches. With hydrangeas, just make sure your varieties bloom on new wood, and most newer varieties do. This way, you are not cutting off this year’s potential blooms.

Do not prune azaleas at this time of year, as they have already set their buds for next year. Instead, prune them right after they bloom. A friendly reminder from a crepe myrtle friend, please don’t murder your crepe myrtles back. They ONLY need to be cut to keep their size confined around house eaves; other than that, let them grow.

When should trees, shrubs and vegetable beds be planted? 

Plant trees and shrubs early, divide and replant perennials now, and add mulch to your flower beds to help keep weeds down and moisture in. Tune up your irrigation systems to make sure they function properly after this cold winter. Now is the time to prepare your veggie beds by amending the soil by adding some compost. Also, if you are going to build veggie beds, it’s a good time. It’s a good idea to let the soil sit for a few weeks before you plant vegetables. So, get that done now. 

What should people do to prepare their lawns for the growing season?  

Now is the time to get your first applications out for spring weeds. You need to be aware of the type of grass you have when buying a pre-emergent weed preventer. Also, make sure the preemergent has fertilizer.

People are anxious to plant young plants. Is March too early to begin? Remember that the average last frost in Central Arkansas is early April. So, if you plan to plant vegetables and annuals before then, be prepared to cover them. Many of the plants will do OK with cold nights; they just cannot withstand a frost on them. Also, remember we can have a frost even above 32 degrees. 

Any ideas to spice up flower beds and containers? 

Every year, there are new plants, new colors and new hybridizations. When you go into the nursery, ask the associates, “What’s new this year?” I always find it interesting that people are creatures of habit and plant the same things every year. Sometimes, they even plant the same things their parents did. There are so many plants out there that are getting better and better every year. Take a chance on some new ones in a small area of your beds and see how you do. You can still plant your favorites; just look for some new favorites.