Jobs to do in the garden this March

Jobs to do in the garden this March

Not sure what to do in the garden this month? here are some jobs to do in the garden this March.

1) Prune strong growing Buddleias down to about 18” for a good show by summer. Prune to 30-40” for a denser but weaker overall growth.

2) Prune decorative Cornus and Salix to within 5cm of the old shoots to encourage next year’s coloured winter stems. Don’t prune ‘Midwinter Fire’ types too hard.

3) Feed roses with a general fertilizer and remember to do it again in summer.

4) Arrange to plant summer flowering bulbs when planting condition are good.

5) Finish pruning perennial which have not yet been cut back, don’t remove new green shoots. It is still time to lift and divide large herbaceous clumps. Re-plant or give away outer sections of the clump and destroy the centre of the plant.

6) When daffodils have flowered, remove dead heads to conserve energy.

7) Hellebores are now very popular, lift seedlings around parent plant and pot up.

8) As the weather improves, weed growth will begin in earnest, hoe off seedling weeds with a really sharp hoe and treat perennial weeds with Roundup.

9) Use fleece to cover delicate leaves when frost is imminent. Seedlings can be protected in the same way, hold fleece down with stones or tie to the pots.

10) New shrubs and herbaceous plants can be planted when soil conditions are good.

11) Finish pruning soft fruit bushes by mid-month and give a high nitrogen feed.

12) Lay fleece or polythene on bare soil to warm it before planting or sowing seeds or vegetables. Remember to apply slug pellets.

13) Consider mowing the lawn towards the end of the month, brush off worm casts if necessary as these blunt the mower. Apply a balanced fertilizer or combined feed and weed-killer.

14) After heavy snowfalls knock snow from upright conifers before branches get bent over. Most plants are better under snow in hard frost as they are well insulated.

15) In bad weather finalise plans for garden improvements and order the plants and sundries to enable you to start work as gardening conditions improve.

Posted 1st Mar 11:40am