Although there maybe some debate over the official start of spring, March marks the start of the growing season. Follow our tips to reap the rewards of fresh fruit, vegetables & flowers.
The start of spring sees an end to the frosty mornings but it’s essential to ensure the cold snap has ended before planting fruit & vegetables in the garden.
THINGS TO DO
Fruit & Vegetables
- Get pruning – this is your last chance to prune your fruit trees & bushes before they start to bud e.g. apple trees, raspberry & blackcurrant bushes.
- Once the risk of frost has passed, you can start sowing seeds directly into drills (v-shaped trench) in the ground e.g. carrots, radish, beetroot & turnip.
- Plant early potatoes with a good helping of manure & plenty of water.
- Growing from seeds, you can plant out brassicas & onion transplants once large enough to handle. You can also plant onion sets (small onions).
- Cover rhubarb buds for forcing – a method of getting paler stems & quicker grow time.
Position your greenhouse south-facing so it receives as much sun all day as possible. This will help your seeds to germinate in spring.
In the Greenhouse
- You can still start your tomato seeds the second week of March. Tomato seeds will take between 8-10 weeks in your greenhouse before they can be moved outdoors. Remember to cover to protect from frost.
- Although greenhouses are great at creating a warmer environment for growing, ventilation is essential on hot sunny days so make sure you open the door to allow air to circulate.
- As the weather improves you can start to increase the amount of watering.
- Sow lettuce, french beans, peas, cucumbers, peppers & chillies.
- Once the seedlings are 4 weeks old you can begin nourishing them with a general liquid feed.
Lawn Care
- As the temperatures increase the grass will begin to grow. Start by cutting on a high setting removing only the top layer of grass.
- You can then start to gradually reduce the height of your lawn on subsequent cuts in March, until you’ve reached your preferred height. Note: You should only have to cut your lawn twice in March.
- Moss is the enemy of every lawn and now is the time to do something about it. Treat your lawns using sulphate of iron to kill moss & then simply rake away.
- Give your lawn a helping hand this month with lawn feed to promote growth, condition & kill weeds. Apply now and continue treating through the month following product guidelines.
- If your lawn is in need of some repair, or you’re planning on sowing a new lawn now is the time to start. Lawn seed spreaders can be a useful tool for accurate application of seed.
Beds, Borders & General Maintenance
- The start of March is the last chance for planting bare root hedges, trees & shrubs.
- Sow your flower beds with summer flowering bulbs & roots.
- Add some seasonal colour by planting summer flower beds & borders now.
- Be on the look out for any pest or slug damage on young herbaceous plants & treat immediately.
General Maintenance
- March is when everything including weeds begin to grow. Keep on top of your weeds by laying weed membrane & spraying weed killer.
- Once your lawn is cut now is the time to tidy up your border edges.