March is the month when all our waiting is over. Blossom begins to dress our gardens whilst daffodils glisten in the still fresh sunshine. It’s a time to start to imagine the summer to come and plan for the year ahead. The nights are longer, the weather can be kinder, the soul is more willing and the garden becomes ever more demanding for attention and time. Don’t become a slave at this time as there is much to still be enjoyed by the simplicity and steady progress of this month.

General gardening

Continue to clear away any remaining old growth on herbaceous perennials from last year before plants jump into growth as you will run the risk of damaging new shoots if you leave it too late. Apply blood, fish and bone to flowerbeds and top dress any developing herbaceous perennials with well rotted manure or compost.

Written by Day Lily on 2006/03/05 | Permalink to this article

Sweet Peas

Sweet peas can be sown in pots now in an unheated greenhouse to give them an early start. You can purchase specialist-growing pots that are deeper than normal or you can plant them into old toilet rolls. Sweet peas don’t like to have their roots disturbed so deep pots will allow for plenty of time before planting out. To encourage them to grow bushy, nip out the growing tip when they are about 5?(12cm) tall. Heathers that have finished flowering can be clipped back to remove the old flowers and tidy them up. Ensure good ventilation in greenhouses on sunny days as condensation will build up and can encourage disease.

Written by Day Lily on 2006/03/05 | Permalink to this article

Snowdrops

Once Snowdrops have finished flowering you can dig up clumps and divide them up, gently pulling them apart with your fingers. Ensure that you re-plant them at the same depth they were and firm in well. Also look out for those on sale in Garden Centres that have finished flowering as they will often be reduced along with other finished bulbs.

Other bulbs

Any bulbs that have finished flowering will benefit from an application of general liquid feed (available from Garden Centres).

Written by Day Lily on 2006/03/05 | Permalink to this article

Summer flowering bulbs and tubers

You can continue to pot up Lilies for planting out in the summer. Most summer flowering bulbs can be planted out now including Dahlias, though they are best grown under cover in pots and planted out after we are free of potential frosts. A wonderful late summer bulb well worth buying is Acidanthera with its stunning flowers and scent. Start these off indoors in a pot and plant out when the frosts are over.

Written by Day Lily on 2006/03/05 | Permalink to this article

Vegetable growing this month

Onion sets, Parsnips, Peas, Early Potatoes, Shallots, Carrots and Broad Beans can be sown outside now whilst Leeks and Parsnips should be left towards the latter part of the month. Under cover Tomatoes, Chillies, Aubergines, Sweetcorn, Cucumbers and Courgettes can be started off.

Written by Day Lily on 2006/03/05 | Permalink to this article

General Pruning

Larger flowering Clematis, which are summer flowering can still be pruned early March if you haven’t already done so. Remove any old weak growth back to a healthy bud approx 12? (30cm) from the base. This will encourage flowers to develop lower down the plant rather than just at the top. Hydrangeas can be pruned back to encourage new growth. This can be done by either reducing all its stems to about 5?-10?(12cm-25cm) from the ground or by just pruning branches back by a third to a healthy bud if you want to keep the size. Do bare in mind that Mophead Hydrangeas that are heavily pruned will flower less this year as they flower on the previous years growth. Buddleja can be pruned back heavily to within 12?(30cm) of the ground to encourage new growth and increase flower production as can Lavateras and Sambucas.

Written by Day Lily on 2006/03/05 | Permalink to this article

Lawn care in March

Lawns will be getting ready to start growing again and if we have a mild March may need cutting. Ensure at this time of the year that your lawnmower blades are set high, as cutting grass too short at this time of the year will do more harm than good. If you haven’t already done any work on your lawn, you can consider aerating it and an application of lawn dressing (available from Garden Centres). This will encourage the development of healthy roots and thicker growth, which will help towards a better lawn later in the year.

Written by Day Lily on 2006/03/05 | Permalink to this article

Plants of interest in Garden Centres during March

• Anemone blanda (FLOWERS)
• Ranunculus (FLOWERS)
• Hellebores (FLOWERS)
• Heuchera (FLOWERS/FOLIAGE)
• Corylus (CATKINS/STRUCTURE)
• Garrya (CATKINS/STRUCTURE)
• Chaenomeles (FLOWERS)
• Euonymous (FOLIAGE)
• Polyanthus (FLOWERS)
• Camelia (FLOWERS)
• Magnolia (FLOWERS)
• Hepatica (FLOWERS)
• Narcissus (daffodil) (FLOWERS)
• Sarcococca (FLOWERS)
• Crocus (FLOWERS)
• Muscari (Grape Hyacinth) (FLOWERS)
• Eranthis (Winter Aconite) (FLOWERS)
• Cyclamen (FLOWERS)
• Cornus (DogWood) (FLOWERS/STRUCTURE)
• Salix (Willow) (CATKINS/STRUCTURE)
• Prunus (FLOWERS)
• Primulas (FLOWERS)
• Edgeworthia (FLOWERS)
• Caltha (FLOWERS
• Mahonia (FLOWERS)
• Daphne (FLOWERS)
• Adonis (FLOWERS)
• Corlopsis (FLOWERS)
• Lonicera (FLOWERS)
• Pulmonaria (FLOWERS)

Written by Day Lily on 2006/03/01 | Permalink to this article