At last! Beautiful March is here, hoorah.
With the Spring season officially starting this month, there is even more opportunity for you to get out into the garden.
This week we're excited to be sharing with you a list of gardening jobs for you to complete this March.
You ready? Then let's go for it!
Force Early Crops And Warm Soil
Now's the time to cover any beds in your allotment with either a black bag or cloches so that your soil is warm enough for early sowings. There are various fruit and vegetable crops that can be forced; you can force rhubarb crops, for example, by veiling them with an upside-down bucket or forcer. You can also trigger an early emergence of strawberry crops by using a cloche to cover a couple of rows.
Sow Your Seeds
Using well-prepared soil, you can start to sow vegetable seeds like salads, beetroot, and Swiss chard. If your soil is warm enough, you can also do early sowings of radishes, peas, and carrots. Creating a shallow trench with a hoe or trowel, sow your seeds thinly and evenly, making sure to then cover the soil and firm it down lightly before watering it.
Mow Your Lawn
In March, it is recommended that you mow your lawn once or twice. Make sure to mow on a dry day, using a high mower setting. Do not mow the grass too short; otherwise, you might encourage moss to grow.
Mow on a dry day, using a high mower setting.
Add Plants That Are Pollen And Nectar-rich
Providing pollinators, such as bees, with plants full of nectar and pollen will give them the energy they need to function properly and carry out their duties efficiently. Therefore, add plants like Suttons, Crocuses, and Sarah Ravens to your garden.
Prune Your Climbing Roses And Bushes
Be sure to remove any diseased, dead, or weak stems on your bushes and climbing roses. Cut your stems back around half, aiming your cut above an outward-facing bud. To ensure proper air circulation and promote new growth, open up the centre of the bush or rose.
Be sure to cut your stems back around half, aiming your cut above an outward-facing bud.
Plant Your Early Seed Potatoes
Many early seed potatoes can be planted from mid-March onwards. Using fertile soil, dig a trench about 15 cm deep in a sunny spot in your garden. Ensuring that the sprouts are facing upwards, put your potatoes in the trench, covering them with around 2.5 cm of soil. Allow 30 cm apart between each potato and water them after completion.
Plant Summer-flowering Bulbs
Plant Summer-flowering bulbs in the ground or in containers. Dig a hole that is two to three times as deep as your bulb is. Put your bulb in the hole with its pointed end facing upwards. Keep your bulbs around a bulb width apart and water them well after you've planted them.
Weed Your Plot
In order to control weed growth in your garden throughout the year, take the time now to dig out problem weeds. Make sure to hoe often also to stop annual weed seedlings from developing.
Dig out problem weeds and hoe often.
Cut Back Your Perennials
To ensure new growth and a healthy appearance, you should cut back your Summer-flowering perennials. Cut back your stems, removing any diseased or dead foliage. Should you experience a cold climate during March, be careful to not cut back too early until any frost outbreaks have passed.
Divide Your Perennials
During March, when the soil is dry enough, you should divide your Summer-flowering perennials. You can remove your plants by gently lifting them with a garden fork, going outwards from the centre of the crown to prevent too much root damage. Shake off any excess soil and divide your plants into clumps. Be sure to replant your perennials quickly and proceed to water them well. You are welcome to put them back in the same spot or in another area of your garden.
Divide your Summer-flowering perennials when the soil is dry enough.
And that's all for now, folks. Be sure to drop by Langton Greenhouse and Garden Centre and get all the advice and inspiration you need to keep your garden thriving this Spring.
We'll see you again soon!