March is generally considered the start of the gardening year and it can be very busy depending on the weather. Feed all beds with a general purpose fertilizer to kick start plants into growth. If you can get garden manure, this is wonderful and improves soil structure as well.
The grass will probably need its first cut. Keep the mower blades high for the first few trims.
Roses can be pruned now. Cut out any dead or diseased wood, and any weak stems. Cut other branches down to a low outward facing bud. It may seem drastic but they will thank you. Give them a feed after pruning.
Seeds of hardy annuals can be sown outside now, and half hardy can be sown indoors. Sow some salad leaves and sow in succession every fortnight to give a supply during the summer.
Winter shrubs that have finished flowering now can be pruned - a general rule of thumb is that shrubs should be pruned, if required, after flowering.
Buy snowdrops "in the green" now - they are available at garden centres and by mail order. they are far more reliable than bulbs.
Daffodils, as they die back, should be dead headed, but allow the foliage to die back naturally, and give them a feed to plump up the bulbs for next year. If any failed to flower, dig them up and plant them deeper.
Leave a Comment
Post a Comment