Wild Bird DesignScapes Community Portal
Seasonal Planting
Calendar
A month-by-month guide to planting, blooming, bird activity, and habitat tasks for Eastern Pennsylvania's Western Main Line. Know what to do — and what to expect — every month of the year.
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Winter
Early Spring · Eastern Pennsylvania
March
Avg. Temp Range
32–55°F
Bob's Tip for March"Serviceberry is the most important early-spring plant for birds. Its berries ripen in June just as migratory birds need fuel, and its flowers provide critical nectar when little else is blooming."
Planting Tasks
- Plant bare-root native trees and shrubs as soon as soil is workable
- Direct sow cold-stratified native wildflower seeds outdoors
- Transplant native seedlings started indoors after hardening off
- Divide and transplant established native perennials
- Plant native bulbs: wild ginger, trout lily, spring beauty
What's Blooming
- Serviceberry (Amelanchier) — first major tree to bloom; critical early nectar
- Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) — white flowers in woodland gardens
- Spring beauty (Claytonia virginica) — tiny pink-striped flowers in lawns
- Skunk cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus) — full bloom in wet areas
- Spicebush (Lindera benzoin) — tiny yellow flowers before leaves
Birds to Expect
- American Robin — singing at dawn, pulling earthworms from thawing soil
- Eastern Bluebird — nest building begins in earnest
- Tree Swallow — arrives mid-March, competes with bluebirds for boxes
- Song Sparrow — singing persistently from shrub tops
- Yellow-bellied Sapsucker — drilling sap wells in birches and maples
- Fox Sparrow — large, rusty sparrow passing through on migration
Habitat Tasks
- Do NOT cut back perennials yet — native bees are still overwintering in stems
- Begin removing invasive shrubs before they leaf out
- Install nest boxes if not already done — bluebirds are actively looking
- Set up a bird bath and keep it clean; birds are bathing daily now
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Year at a Glance — Eastern Pennsylvania
Winter
Plan, order, observe. Leave everything standing for wildlife.
Spring
Plant, remove invasives, monitor nest boxes, enjoy migration.
Summer
Water, resist deadheading, let caterpillars feed the birds.
Fall
Best planting season. Leave the leaves. Observe and plan.
Ready to Get Started?
Use the full DIY Guide for step-by-step habitat transformation instructions, or browse the Native Plant Library to find the right plants for your property.