WHAT TO DO THIS MONTH?

March is the month where any weather is possible. Wind, snow, rain and then beautiful sunshine.  In the garden all those bulbs you planted in September that first started to appear in February are opening up adding a variety of colour that tells us winter is almost over. Daffodils, Crocus, Muscari and Irises. The days are starting to lengthen, and the spring equinox is almost here. Here is our guide to what you can be doing.

​

General Maintenance

1. If you are getting itchy feet and want to get out in the garden on a cold day you can keep warm by digging compost or well-rotted farmyard manure into vegetable beds to boost the nutrient levels ready for this year’s crops.

2. Mulch fruit trees with compost or well-rotted farmyard manure, make sure you keep the mulch clear of the trunks to avoid any risk of rotting.

3. Containers with shrubs will need the compost refreshing. The old compost will be stale and lacking nutrients. The easiest way to address without completely re-potting is by top dressing. This is done by removing the top 5cm (2 inches) of old compost and replacing it with fresh peat free compost.

4. It’s worth putting in plant supports for tall perennials like asters, delphiniums and dahlias as it’s much easier to do it now while the plants are small. As they grow you can tie them in on guide them through the support.

5. March can be windy so check tree ties haven’t either become loose or too tight and tie in climbers.

6. When the ground is warm move plants that you’ve decided are in the wrong place. It will give them time to establish their root systems before really getting growing in April & May.

7. Continue to cover tender plants with fleece on cold and frosty nights.

8. As it warms up keep an eye out for pest problems in the greenhouse. Dispose of dead leaves and petals to avoid diseases.

9. Mow the lawn in dry weather with the blades on a high cutting setting.

​

Flowers & Shrubs

1. Key plants to prune this month are shrubs that flower on this year’s growth and evergreens such as Forsythia (after flowering), Hebe and Box. Evergreen hedging and topiary such as Box can be trimmed to create a smooth finish. Pruning tender evergreens stimulates new growth so ensure no hard frosts are due before doing this.

2. If you didn’t do in February then prune bush roses, removing all dead, damaged and crossing branches and shortening stems by a half to an outward facing bud. Slope your cut so that water runs away from the bud. Prune climbing roses, too, if not already done in winter.

3. On mophead hydrangeas, cut back last year’s floral stems to strong buds below the flowerheads. Hydrangea paniculata can be cut back harder to control its size and spread.

4. Cut back flowered fuchsia stems to one to two buds from the main branches.

5. Towards the end of the month, if the weather is starting to warm up, sow hardy annuals like nigella, cornflowers and poppies for swathes of flowers in summer that will attract a host of pollinating insects but wait for the frosts to be over.

6. You can also start summer-flowering bulbs like Dahlias, Gladioli and Lilies in pots indoors for planting out in a few months when the frosts are past.

7. With the weather and ground warming up it’s a good time to plant new shrubs or move hardy perennials. A hardy perennial is one that dies back over winter and resprouts in spring ready to bloom in summer. Tip: You can often find last year’s in the bargain basement area of a Garden Centre at a reduced price.

8. Get ready to plant out. Move young plants from the warm greenhouse outside to a sheltered spot or into a cold frame to acclimatise them. Move back in or cover over night for the first few days. The process should take a couple of weeks for them to fully harden off.

9. Feed camelias and rhododendrons with ericaceous plant food.

 

Fruit & Vegetables

1. It’s time to get first early potatoes in the ground. For the best results, ‘chit’ them first by leaving them in a cool, bright, frost-free place for a few weeks to produce shoots about 2 cm long, then plant them in deep potato grow bags or vegetable beds. Studies have shown that Second early and Main crop don’t necessarily need to be chitted first but these don’t need to go in the ground yet.

2. March is also the month to plant onion sets for a summer crop. Plant 10cm apart with 30cm between rows pointy end up to allow for maximum root growth.

3. Sow tomato and chilli pepper seeds indoors on a sunny windowsill or in a greenhouse.

4. Towards the end of the month, if the weather is warm enough, sow carrots, parsnips and radishes outside in well-prepared vegetable beds.

5. There is still time to plant Rhubarb crowns such as Timperley Early or Victoria.

  

Whatever you plan to do in your garden this March why not come and see us at Thorp Perrow Garden Centre and see how we can help with shrubs, plants, vegetables and seeds. We look forward to seeing you at the Garden Centre.

​