TOP GARDENING TIPS FOR MARCH
Thankfully March sees the end of the frost and frozen weather. Soil temperatures are on the rise and once soil reaches about 6 degrees celsius, grass growth begins,lawnmowers will be fired up again and you can’t beat the smell of cut grass and a sunny Spring afternoon.
Weeding and mulching
Spring is an important time for getting on top of weeds before they take light and
water from the plants you want. You can also mulch your borders in early spring,
provided the soil is moist, and there is still space to get in between the plants.
It's important to stay on top of weeds in March otherwise the task can get away on you. We have a range of Glyphosate free weedkillers available, and also recommend a Destrol weedkiller especially for hard surfaces like gravel, as it keeps the weed from germinating.
Pruning hydrangeas
Prune hydrangeas in March. Look for a set of healthy strong buds and then cut the old flower heads back to just above them. For mature or congested plants, you can also take out some of the older growth to encourage it to reshoot from the base.
Prune your Roses
Prune bush roses before St. Patrick’s Day. Removing all dead, damaged and
crossing branches and shortening stems by a third. Prune climbing roses, too, if not already done in winter. Start feeding roses with rose food or potassium-based fertiliser. A top tip would to use Roseclear from March until July, it’s a preventive and should be used every second week.
Lawn Care
1. The soil is warm and the grass is growing. Begin the year with a light
cut – just removing the top of the grass to give your lawn a neat appearance
2. Gradually reduce the height of your cut during the month of March until
you have reached your desired height
3. You should only need to cut your grass twice over the month.
4. If your lawn is looking old you can treat it with a lawn weed, feed and
moss killer. Start applying now and continue through the month, then rake out
using a spring rake to scarify your lawn.
5. This is a good month for preparing and sowing new lawns
Planting Trees and Shrubs.
1. The beginning of the month is the last chance to transplant trees and
shrubs and care must be taken when doing so
2. Last chance to hard prune plants including Salix (Willow), Cornus
(Dogwood), Buddelia (Butterfly Bush) and Sambucus (Elder)
3. Water in recently planted trees and shrubs & ensure trees are secure
and well rooted in the ground
4. Begin feeding your garden plants; a general feed, high in nitrogen e.g
Gromore is suitable for this time of year.
Spring Bulbs:
Bulbs are the perfect way to add dramatic colour to the garden, plant up pots and containers or fill whole borders with clumps of these exquisite flowers. Remember, most garden bulbs should be planted as soon as they are bought. You will find spring flowering bulbs such as daffodils and tulips in garden centres from August to November and summer flowering bulbs such as lilies and dahlias from January to April.
Deadhead daffodils and other spring bulbs as they fade, but leave the foliage to die back – don’t tie or plait it as this stops the leaves from being able to make food for next year’s flowers.
Vegetable Sowing:
This is the month that growth begins and a time for gardeners to get sowing in the vegetable gardens. March truly is when all the fun begins.
Dig compost or well-rotted farmyard manure into vegetable beds to boost nutrient levels ready for the year’s crops.
Summer Bulbs:
The perfect time to start planting your summer bulb display is usually around mid-March when the weather has started to get a bit warmer. With a little forward planning,magnificent displays can easily be created.
Bulbs, tubers, roots and corms will fill your summer garden with an array of colour, depth and variety. What’s more they will continue to do so for many years to come meaning that you can enjoy the gorgeous displays for years on end.
Bulbs are one of the most easiest and rewarding plants to grow and take up very little space in your garden borders so they are ideal for filling in any gaps.
PERFECT PLANTS IN MARCH
Start feeding your plants again from St.Patrick’s day onwards, give ericaceous plants like camellias, rhododendrons, azaleas, heathers and blueberries a special feed with ericaceous fertiliser.
Viola, Pansy, Senetti are the perfect plants for your pots and containers. Our Garden Centre is bursting with colour, feel free to drop in your containers and we will gladly pot them up for you.
And don’t forget Mother’s Day, Sunday March 10 th ,we have an
array of gifts to choose from all under the one roof.