Ah, March. The days may still be a little on the chilly side, but there are signs of spring. Birds and insects are waking up from their long winter’s rest. Pretty soon, the days will be getting warmer so it’s the perfect time to get your garden in shape. Here’s our guide to the March gardening jobs that should be on your list.
Organise Your Seeds and Start Planting Indoors
If you haven’t done this already, organise your seeds by planting date. Plant the last of your late winter seeds indoors. This includes onions, leeks, and peppers. Don’t even think about planting outside until after the last expected frost date for your area. This is not an exact science; the date is calculated from last year’s average. So in northern Scotland, it’s usually the beginning of May, and further South, it can be as early as the middle of March.
Fertilise Your Flower Beds and Borders
March is a great time to add manure or compost to your flower beds to nourish the soil and help new plants flourish. Mulch can also keep weeds at bay and insulate plant roots from any cold temperatures.
Before you add mulch, get rid of any weeds. When you add whatever material you’re using, be sure to leave a gap around the stem of the plants. Here’s a top tip: use dark mulch, it will attract the heat of the sun and warm up the plants. Plants absorb more nutrients when they are warm.
Prune Roses and Fruit Trees
Got roses or an apple tree in your garden? Pruning back any dead wood on fruit trees should be on your list of March gardening jobs. Pruning roses will ensure a healthier blossoming plant come the summer.
Planted Bulbs? Keep An On Them
Waiting for bulbs to flower in Spring? Keep an eye out for them sprouting and watch your step in the garden in case you stand on them. Check if you need to weed the area around them so they can reach their potential.
Watch Out for Slugs
Slugs are active all year but they become a particular problem in Spring. This is because there are plenty of young plants and seedlings to eat. If you want to protect your plants, this is what you need to do.
Start by creating habitats for slug predators like blackbirds. Blackbirds love shrubs with berries. Plant some in your garden and you’ll attract your very own slug patrol. If you have space for a pond, putting one in can help too, as frogs love to eat slugs.
Another thing for your list of March gardening jobs is proofing your garden against slugs however you can. It’s near impossible to keep slugs away entirely. But if you want to banish them from an area where you have vulnerable plants, you can. Place fabric or mesh at the base of plant pots before you fill them with compost. This will stop slugs from getting into the pots from underneath.
Lastly, try growing plants that slugs just don’t like that much such as foxglove and lavender.
As the days get warmer, your list of jobs to do in the garden will get longer. Just be patient, work with the weather, and keep preparing your garden as best you can.
The three words to remember when it comes to your March gardening jobs are plan, prepare, and plant. Happy gardening!
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