Gardening Tips in March

At last! We have reached the light at the end of the tunnel. This is the month where we can officially declare the arrival of spring with flowering bulbs popping up all over the place.

However don’t get to excited as this month can be very fickle with glorious sunshine one minute and arctic conditions the next. As the saying goes, in like a lion and out like a lamb – or so we hope.

So when the weather is good make the most of it and crack on with the tasks that are mentioned below.

Preparation

Don’t be tempted to buy bedding plants, which the garden centers are selling now it’s far too early. Start mulching those beds so to give a helping hand to those plants, which are starting to poke their heads through. Put stakes and other plant supports in to support new growth before it really needs it.

Propagation

If you are living in the south of the country the sowing of hardy vegetables and annuals can begin in earnest but for the folk up north you'll have to wait till fist few weeks of April. Increase your perennials by taking basal stem cuttings form the new shoots. Sow your sweet peas and when they start appearing pinch the growing tips out. Sow half hardy and frost tender bedding plants under cover.

Pruning

Prune bush and shrub roses; cut hard back any shrubs with colourful winter stems; this will promote new growth for next winter which has the most intense colour.

Prune back winter flowering heathers and give them good high nitrogen feed. Renovate large climbers and tie in any loose branches.

Planting

Now is a good time to move evergreen shrubs. Summer flowering bulbs can be planted now. Finish planting bare root trees and shrubs and new fruit trees and bushes Replant snowdrops and winter aconites now that their flowers have faded.

Edibles

Lawns

At the end of the month reseed any bare patches.
You should be able to start mowing your lawn but only trim the top for the first couple of cuts.

Indoors plants/Glasshouses

Start watering your indoor plants regularly now the weather is warming up.
Prepare the greenhouse for the growing season by cleaning down all worktops, glass, containers and pots with disinfectant.
Ventilate your greenhouses whenever the weather is good.
Put grow bags in the greenhouse to warm up before the planting.

Maintenance

Get your pumps out of storage, remove any netting and start feeding your fish.
With the warmer weather - watch out for those little pests and diseases
Keep on top of weeds with regular hoeing
Deadhead daffodils as the energy will be used producing seeds.
Shade young seedlings on bright days

Plants that look at this time of the year



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