March Gardening Tips & Advice

When cutting the lawn for the first time of the year keep the mower blades high usually cutting off around one third of the length. Alternatively just mow a path through and plant some bulbs and wildflowers and watch your lawn come alive with colour and insects.

If you have a propagator, heated greenhouse or even a spare windowsill half hardy annuals can be sown this month.

Revitalize permanently planted containers by removing the top 5cm of compost and replacing it with fresh and adding some slow release fertilizer to get your plants off to a strong start.

Young hedges can be cut back by around a third this will help them make a stronger thicker hedge rather than leggy with gaps.

Protect wall trained fruit with fleece from any late frosts which could damage flowers and reduce this year’s crop.

Hardy herbs can be sown under cover now; Chives can also be lifted, divided and replanted in smaller clumps.

Deadhead bulbs such as Daffodils as they finish flowering but always leave the foliage until it dies away, a feed of Sulphate of potash will help build up the bulbs for a fantastic display next year.

Although it’s only March watch out for Lily Beetle on Fritillaria imperialis (Crown imperials) as they can quickly spoil leaves and flowers.

Onion sets can be planted from the middle of the month onwards, net or protect them until rooted to prevent the birds pulling them out.

After giving borders a weed and spring tidy give the plants a boost with a general feed and a good thick mulch to retain moisture in the summer and reduce weed growth.

Protect the new growth of emerging perennials from slugs and snails, the new growth of plants such as Delphiniums, Lupins and Hostas can be particularly vulnerable.

Early crops of vegetables such as Carrots, Beetroot, Broad Beans, Radishes and Salad onions can be sown outside under cloches now.

Dahlia tubers can be planted in trays of compost now to encourage new roots and shoots to start their spring growth

If not already done Roses can be pruned back for the coming season now, be sure to tidy any fallen leaves away to help prevent fungal diseases such as blackspot.

March is the last chance to plant bare rooted and rootball stock before plants start their spring growth.

Shrubs such as Buddleia and Sambucus can be cut back hard now to promote fresh young growth from the base of the plant.