Gardening Chores - March

March:

March marks the official start of spring! The clocks going forward at the end of the month gives us much more sunlight to look forward to and extra time to get the garden ready. Even with unpredictable weather, it’s time to get back in the garden to prepare soil and plant summer-flowering bulbs. As the ground warms, begin to sow seeds for vegetables and flowers outdoors.

In the Flower Garden

Plant summer-flowering bulbs such as Gladiolus and lilies. Getting these in the ground now gives them the best possible start.
Divide and replant perennial plants to encourage healthy new growth. This is a great way to revitalise tired plants and even get more from your existing stock.
Prune large-flowering Clematis and roses to encourage a profusion of blooms.
Cut back Cornus (dogwood) and Willow (Salix) to promote vibrant, new stems for next winter.
Prune wisteria and hardy evergreen hedges to maintain their shape and keep them looking their best.
Relocate small trees and shrubs in your garden now, and feed them with a balanced fertiliser to help them settle in.

The Vegetable Patch

Prepare your seed beds for the new season, ensuring they are free of weeds and have a good layer of compost.
It's time tosow a variety of vegetables outdoors, including beetroot, parsnips, turnips and leeks. You can also start sowing lettuce and radishes.
Plant shallots, onions, and early potatoes.
establish new asparagus beds.
Sow tender vegetables under glass such as tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers, to give them a head start before planting them outside later.

Lawns & Hedges

On drier days, mow your lawn if it's required.
Straighten your lawn edges with a half-moon iron for a tidy, professional finish.
Lay new turf if the ground is not too wet or frosty.
Towards the end of the month, apply a high-nitrogen feed to your lawn to give it a boost as it wakes up for the season.

The Greenhouse

On warmer days,open the doors, windows, and vents in your greenhouse to allow for good ventilation.
Re-pot any plants that have outgrown their initial pots to give their roots more space to grow.
Check on your plants and give them a good watering if the soil feels dry to the touch.

General Garden Maintenance

Now is a great time totop dress container pots with fresh compost to give your plants a much-needed nutrient boost.
Make structures out of willow for climbing plants. This is an ideal time to get creative in the garden.
Take control of weeds before they get out of hand.
Spray roses with a suitable treatment to prevent pests from blighting your plants.
Slugs and snails will become active this month, so start putting down slug pellets or other preventative treatments.
Vine weevils also begin to become active now—treat if necessary.
Clear your pond of any debris that has collected over the winter. If you have a pond heater, now is the time to remove it. You can also start feeding your fish again.