Although we will be experiencing some frosty days come March, more sun should be on its way. This, of course, means there’s going to be some opportunities for gardening. So, prep your beds, borders, and patios, because it’s time to get planting!
Mowing your lawn is a good start, but remember, if you seed any bare patches, cover your seeds with soil to ward off birds. Speaking of soil, make sure to get it to a workable condition by digging some compost into your beds.It’s also possible your plants or climbers will need extra support as the year progresses, so get those supports now to ensure they grow without issue. Finally, sweep your patio with a handy broom, ensure your gardening tools are in excellent condition and clear those weeds as much as possible. Investing in a weed hook can help with the latter.
With everything ready, let the planting begin. Planting summer bulbs now such as dahlias and lilies is a fantastic idea if you want your garden to look stunning when the sun starts to shine. For lilies, grab a decently sized growing pot and fill it with some compost – you can then plant your bulbs and cover those with more compost. Once ready, lilies make for great patio flowers, so find yourself the ideal position so they can stand out as much as possible. Planting lilies in your borders also works nicely, but you’ll need to tidy them, remove the weeds, and mulch with garden compost once finished. On the other hand, Dahlias grow perfectly in sheltered, well-drained, warm conditions. However, if the weather isn’t the best this March, start growing them in containers under some glass
Of course, this doesn’t mean you should limit yourself to two flower variations – other plants are perfect for March too. These include easy-to-grow forsythias, forget me not mixed, and march magnolias, to the surprise of no one. We also recommend you don’t neglect your shrubs because they will need a good pruning. Remove anything you see that looks dead, diseased, or damaged, so you encourage more substantial growth as the year progresses. Ideally, the stems should be cut back by about half using sharp secateurs just above an outward-facing bud.
Fancy growing some tasty fruits? Well, March is the time to start. You could plant some strawberries in hanging baskets, protecting them from nasty slugs, the number one enemy of all gardens. If you manage to drive them off, planting your strawberries in containers or banked rows will get the job done. Other fruits to grow can include gooseberries and raspberries, and if you have raspberry canes from autumn, you should now cut them to the ground so they can flourish again come autumn.
If you’re in the mood for some veg, you’ll first need to hoe the beds as soon as the weather begins to warm up. Failing to do this is going to result in a plethora of weeds. Once done, enrich your soil with organic matter such as compost. Doing this will break up the ground to ensure it’s not compacted and prepare it for the growing season ahead. Finally, you’ll want to cover your soil with sheets of black plastic – these sheets will absorb the sun’s rays and warm the earth below. Tomatoes, potatoes, kale and broccoli are a few examples of the vegetables you can grow in March.
To get ready for the months ahead, have a read of our top gardening tips for April, May, and June! While you're at it, check out our extensive Gardens Department to grab anything you might need.
