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Tips for the garden - March

Tips for the garden - March

And we’re off!

Sometimes preparing for the new season can feel like a marathon, but as we get closer to the main growing season it turns into a sprint! 

The tumultuous weather has provided setbacks with flooding, snow and ferocious winds over the winter, but you can feel the spring breeze coming through, even on days where we’ve woken to a hard frost.

In March we start to see the garden come into its own. New shoots are pushing through, snowdrops and narcissus are in full bloom and there is that anticipation that all the winter prep will bear fruit.

March is the month of spring. The days are getting longer and weather getting warmer – let’s enjoy the coming season.

 

Blooms at the ready

  • If you haven’t already, plant roses, shrubs and climbers. Give roots a head start by adding Vitax Q4 Rootmore with Mycorrhizal Fungi.
  • Flowers are starting to come into bloom, but for any remaining winter flowers, deadhead once flowering has finished.
  • Continue to plant sweet peas in grow tubes ready for planting out early to mid-spring.
  • Prune fuchsias and roses, and cutback cornus (dogwood) back to ground level.
  • Plant lilies and other summer flowering plants in pots and containers, or in borders.
  • Now is a time to feed. Feed roses with a slow-release fertiliser such as Organic Rose Food to sustain healthy growth and bountiful blooms. 
  • Feed ericaceous plants, such as rhododendrons and azaleas, with a good fertiliser to prevent yellowing of leaves and protect against disease. Specialist fertilisers such Azalea, Rhododendron & Shrub Fertiliser will provide all the required nutrients.
  • Don’t forget houseplants. As the weather warms, water and feed plants more regularly. Take a look at Vitax’s houseplant care range for feeds for orchids, bonsais, cacti etc.
  • Sow wildflower seed.
  • It is not too late to plant spring bulbs or spring plants in pots and borders. Nurseries and garden centres will have a wide range to choose from and will bring instant colour to the garden.

 

Get set for crops

  • As the soil warms, it’s time to make the first outdoor sowings of hardy vegetables such as leeks, spinach etc, but cover with fleece if weather is still very cold to provide some warmth.
  • Plant onion and shallot sets along with Jerusalem artichoke.
  • Sow parsnips, turnips and kale.
  • Chit early potatoes.
  • In the greenhouse, start off celery, dwarf beans, tomatoes, chillies and aubergines.
  • Plant fresh rhubarb.
  • Cut back autumn fruiting raspberry canes.
  • Top dress crops with a good, all-round feed and soil conditioner such as 6X Natural Fibrous Fertiliser.

 

Go for garden maintenance

  • Mulch those borders!
  • Weed away. As the growing season gets underway, so do the weeds. Keep on top by regularly weeding.
  • Hoe those vegetables beds.
  • Check all new plants and shoots for aphids. Protect with Organic Plant Guard or if slugs are causing havoc, try Slug Gone, which is a completely, natural deterrent.
  • As the temperature starts to rise, remove insulation, such as bubble wrap, from greenhouse windows.
  • If you are looking to add a pond or raised bed to your garden, early-spring is an ideal time to start digging out those foundations.
  • Check ties and stakes on trees and shrubs and ensure ties are not too tight now they are starting to grow.
  • Lawns still need TLC until the wet weather has dissipated, but if completely dry, the first mow of the year can take place. Ensure that the height of the lawn mower is set high to just take the top off.
  • Add edging to lawns to make more manageable.

 

There are far too many jobs for March to mention, but hopefully these tips will re-invigorate your plans and maybe add a few more.

We are now entering warmer weather and longer evenings. Soon the garden will be full of insects as flowers start to bloom and crops start to grow, but it also a time to be vigilant.

Pests and bugs will start to emerge and keep an eye out for rodents looking for a quick feed on new shoots or stored fruit and vegetables.

We may be way off the finishing line but enjoy getting there.

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