Gardening Calendar

MARCH

The first month of spring at last, and the garden really begins to come alive after a long dreary winter. But it can be a tricky month weatherwise, with mild sunshine one day and hard frost the next.

A profusion of spring flowers should now be brightening up the garden. Spring-flowering bulbs are coming into their own, and towards the end of the month, those stalwart spring flowering shrubs, the forsythias, bring forth their stunning show of bright yellow flowers.

March is a good time to:

• Mulch bare soil in beds and borders – learn more here!
• Plant summer-flowering bulbs
• Protect fruit blossom against late frosts
• Reseed bare patches in the lawn
• Water houseplants more regularly

March Weather Watch

Although March can be a cold month, on the whole temperatures are rising. However, sharp frosts may descend on the land on clear nights, turning the ground hard, so don’t put out tender plants yet.

March mulching

Mulch bare soil, having weeded and tidied it first, with organic matter – well-rotted farmyard manure, garden compost, cocoa shells, chipped bark or spent mushroom compost.

Soil in borders left bare will very quickly lose water in dry spells. Covering with a thick layer of organic matter will cut down the rate at which water evaporates from the soil, reducing the need to water. This is especially important for young trees and shrubs that have been recently planted. Mulch will also suppress weeds, and it looks good too. Never put a mulch on dry soil. If the soil is dry, water it first. A layer of compost is just as good at keeping water out as sealing it in.