---
title: March Tree Care in Northern Nevada: Calendar
url: https://battleborntreeservice.com/guides/tree-care-calendar/march/
business: Battle Born Tree Service
address: 6301 US Highway 50 East, Carson City, NV 89701
phone: 775.232.8243
hours: Office Monday-Friday 8:30 am-5:00 pm; phones answered seven days a week; 24-hour emergency service
credentials: ISA Certified Arborist WE-11728A on staff; Nevada Business License # 20131580674; fully insured
type: Tree service (removal, crane work, pruning, stump grinding, defensible space, snow removal, firewood)
---

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- March

# Tree care in March in Northern Nevada

March is the last month for dormant pruning of deciduous trees in Northern Nevada and the first for conifers, whose window opens in early spring. Watering restarts on thawed ground, and late wet snow can still bring limbs down.

Thirty-year normals for this month at Reno, Carson City, Minden, Glenbrook and Fallon:

## March weather normals

| Station | Elevation (ft) | Precipitation (in) | Snowfall (in) | Mean temperature (F) | Average low (F) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reno airport | 4,410 | 0.8 | 2.9 | 46.6 | 34.0 |
| Carson City | 4,761 | 1.24 | 1.6 | 43.9 | 31.6 |
| Minden | 4,709 | 1.25 | 3.4 | 42.5 | 26.8 |
| Glenbrook | 6,350 | 2.62 | not reported | 37.1 | 27.7 |
| Fallon | 3,965 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 44.6 | 28.5 |

Source: [NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020, monthly](https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/products/land-based-station/us-climate-normals). Monthly normals for March at five stations. Glenbrook publishes no snowfall normal.

## March checklist

- Finish deciduous pruning before buds break
- Begin conifer pruning as early spring arrives
- Water on thawed ground when temperatures are above 40 F
- Pull winter-broken limbs and stubs from trees
- Look for leaning trees or heaved soil after thaw
- Book spring removals and stump grinding
- Start clearing leaf litter from Zone 0

Reno's mean temperature jumps 6 degrees from February to March, but the Tahoe shore does not: Glenbrook reaches only 37.1 F, and its 2.62 inches of March precipitation is more than five times Fallon's 0.50. Same month, very different trees.

## March weather at five stations

Minden averages 3.4 inches of snow in March, more than twice Carson City's 1.6 inches. Reno gets 2.9. Carson City's March precipitation of 1.24 inches is the largest of its spring and more than double April's 0.51. March is the last wet, cold month for the valleys.

| Station (elevation, ft) | Mean temp (F) | Precip (in.) | Snow (in.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reno airport (4,410) | 46.6 | 0.80 | 2.9 |
| Carson City (4,761) | 43.9 | 1.24 | 1.6 |
| Minden (4,709) | 42.5 | 1.25 | 3.4 |
| Glenbrook (Tahoe) (6,350) | 37.1 | 2.62 | no normal |
| Fallon (3,965) | 44.6 | 0.50 | 0.3 |

Station normals, not town averages. NOAA flags Glenbrook's temperature normals as reduced completeness and publishes no snowfall normal there.

## What the trees are doing

Buds swell as nights approach freezing, and roots become active as the soil thaws. A late snow that lands on a tree with swelling buds is still a snow load.

## Jobs that fit March

Complete the deciduous pruning you booked in February before the buds break. Conifers can now be pruned, since most pines and spruces are done in early spring and summer rather than winter. Removals and stump grinding can be booked now, ahead of the summer calendar. Dead trees and hazards are on the calendar any month. When you water, University of Nevada, Reno Extension asks for temperatures above 40 F and no snow or ice on the soil.

## Watch for storm and thaw damage

Wet late snow can break limbs that survived January. After a storm, stay out from under bowed limbs and call [775.232.8243](tel:775.232.8243) for large or high ones; we have 24-hour emergency service. If anyone is hurt, call 911. If a line is involved, stay away and call NV Energy first. See [the morning-after guide](https://battleborntreeservice.com/guides/heavy-snow-broken-limbs/).

## Valley versus lake

At Tahoe the dormant season is far from over: Glenbrook's March mean of 37.1 F is below the Reno airport's February. Hold off on anything that depends on thawed soil. Estimates are free, and the office at [775.232.8243](tel:775.232.8243) can talk through timing for your trees. A certified arborist assesses every job before work begins.

### Sources

- [NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020, monthly (Reno airport USW00023185, Carson City USC00261485, Minden USC00265191, Glenbrook USC00263205, Fallon Exp Stn USC00262780)](https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/products/land-based-station/us-climate-normals) (pulled October 17, 2026)
- [International Society of Arboriculture, Trees Are Good: Pruning Your Trees](https://www.treesaregood.org/treeowner/pruningyourtrees) (read October 17, 2026)
- [University of Nevada, Reno Extension: Should I Water my Trees in the Winter? (Jensen, 2026)](https://extension.unr.edu/publication.aspx?PubID=8355) (read October 17, 2026)
- [University of Nevada, Reno Extension: Living With Fire (SP-23-07)](https://extension.unr.edu/publication.aspx?PubID=5522) (read October 17, 2026)
- [NV Energy: Trees and power lines](https://www.nvenergy.com/tree) (read October 1, 2026)

### Talk to the office

[775.232.8243](tel:775.232.8243)

| Monday to Friday | 8:30 am - 5:00 pm |
|---|---|
| Saturday and Sunday | Office closed, phones answered |

Phones answered seven days a week. 24-hour emergency service.

[Free estimate](#quote)

### Keep reading

- [Best time to prune trees in Northern Nevada](https://battleborntreeservice.com/guides/best-time-to-prune-trees-northern-nevada/)
- [Heavy wet snow and broken limbs: what to do the morning after](https://battleborntreeservice.com/guides/heavy-snow-broken-limbs/)
- [Watering mature trees in the high desert](https://battleborntreeservice.com/guides/watering-mature-trees-high-desert/)
- [Storm and snow-load breakage](https://battleborntreeservice.com/tree-guide/storm-and-snow-load-breakage/)
- [Stump grinding vs full stump removal](https://battleborntreeservice.com/guides/stump-grinding-vs-stump-removal/)
- [Northern Nevada tree care calendar](https://battleborntreeservice.com/guides/tree-care-calendar/)

### Month by month

- [The full tree care calendar](https://battleborntreeservice.com/guides/tree-care-calendar/)

[Previous month: Tree care in February in Northern Nevada](https://battleborntreeservice.com/guides/tree-care-calendar/february/) [Next month: Tree care in April in Northern Nevada](https://battleborntreeservice.com/guides/tree-care-calendar/april/)

## Questions people ask

Still have a question? Call [775.232.8243](tel:775.232.8243). Phones are answered seven days a week.

### Is March too late to prune deciduous trees in Reno?

Not if buds have not broken. Late winter, before the spring growth flush, is the target. Dead and hazardous wood can be removed any time.

### When can I prune pines in Northern Nevada?

Most conifers are pruned in early spring and summer, so March is when the window starts at the valley stations.

### When should I start watering trees again?

On thawed, snow-free soil when daytime temperatures are above 40 F, per University of Nevada, Reno Extension.