What Jobs To Do In The Garden in March

There are plenty of jobs to do in the garden in March as this is a busy month in our gardens but if we can do certain things now we give ourselves a good head start. March is a time for growth and new beginnings. Light evenings, more daylight hours and hopefully more sunshine all add up to start everything growing at full tilt.

As Nature starts to grow more plants and flowers at this time of year, let us follow her lead and do the same.

Some of you will be wondering, what jobs to do in the garden in March, read on to find out how to keep busy this month and how to get your garden ready for spring.

What Jobs To Do In The Garden In March – Beds and Borders

Perennial Plants

New, young growth is starting to show on perennial plants so they need protecting from slugs and snails. Beer traps, a circle of sharp grit or broken egg shells, copper rings around pots are all organic slug repellents; they are sustainable, wildlife friendly options to try.

Cut back dead foliage and seed heads from perennials and ornamental grasses as this encourages new growth.

Lift and divide any perennials that have overgrown their space. This allows them to grow back healthily and provides you with new plants to use somewhere else in the garden or to share with friends and family.

Deadhead daffodils. Cut away old or diseased leaves on Helleborus. Dead head any winter bedding such as pansies.

Plant Summer Bulbs

Soil and Compost

• Top dress containers, remove a few inches off the top layer of old compost and top up with new, this helps to maintain plant health and water retention.
• If soil is workable, dig compost or rotted manure and/or fertiliser into borders, taking care not to disturb bulbs or new growth on perennial plants.
• Check compost bins for any compost that is ready to use. It’s ideal on the borders.
• If you don’t have a compost bin, now is the time to obtain or make one.

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How To Make Compost For The Garden

Feed and Weed

• Feed trees and shrubs by lightly forking in a slow release fertilizer.
• Feed roses with a specialist rose feed and prune them after any risk of frost. Prune back to one or two new buds as this will encourage new healthy growth. Make the cut on an angle as this allows rain to run off.

  

• Continue weeding to keep beds and borders clear; after all Nature also knows March is the best time for plants to germinate, weeds will be well on their way in the borders. It’s easier to weed regularly and remove perennial weeds before they become established.

What to Prune in March

March is the optimum time for pruning some garden shrubs and trees, ideally before birds start to look for nest sites. Most shrubs only need light pruning to keep them in a compact shape and within the bounds of their space. Remove any dead or diseased branches.

Deadhead Hydrangeas, cut stems back to about 1/3 of last year’s growth to help encourage new buds.

Prune roses to encourage fresh, strong growth. The following link gives you more detailed information on how to care for and grow roses.
How do you Grow Roses? Secrets to Success

If you haven’t already done so prune hard back Cornus and Salix. Cut them right back to the ground. This will ensure new growth of their colourful stems for next winter.

Prune early flowering clematis when they finish flowering and summer clematis before they start with all new growth. Use the link  below to find out how you can grow and enjoy clematis in your garden all year round.
How to Grow a Clematis

Trim winter flowering Heather to prevent them getting too woody.

Winter flowering Jasmine can be pruned when the flowers are finished. Also over wintered Fuchsia should be cut back to one or two buds.

What Vegetables Can I Grow in March?

First of all there are lots of seeds that can be sown now, whether you have a vegetable plot or you want to grow some veg in pots, there is lots of choice.

If you have grown some early veg from seed, these plants can be transplanted this month.

Take a look at How to Grow Seeds. 5 Easy Steps

Vegetables that can be sown now:

• Tomatoes
• Peppers
• Salads
• Broad beans
• Beetroot
• Swiss chard
• Onion sets
• Potatoes
• Brussels sprouts
• Summer cabbage
• Shallots
• Garlic
• Broccoli

Using a heated propagator will give you a good early start and more success with seed germination. electric-heated-propagator

Flowers to Sow and Grow in March

Many seeds are easy to grow and will give you continuous, colourful displays all the way through summer. You also gain more gardening satisfaction from having grown your own plants from seed at a fraction of the cost of buying plants from nurseries. Below are just a few examples to try:

• Sweet Peas
• Cosmos
• Wildflower mixes
• Calendula
• Cornflower
• Marigolds
• Poppy
• Petunia

General Maintenance

Planting Preparation for the Future

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