Your Garden Programme for March
There will be a lot of activity on the allotments as the month goes on. The people you see there will be waiting patiently to move the plants they have been growing on window sills, under cloches or in the greenhouse, into the soil. It is an exciting time of year with longer days and, hopefully, less cold. Anyone with any heart at all cannot fail to be moved by the way things start to grow. Every year we try to start things growing a little earlier, but nature tells us when. Plants always seem to catch up once the weather improves.
Temptation to get stuck in once the better weather arrives can lead to all manner of aches and pains. We all tend to do too much. There are lots of treatments out there to get you through the pain but the best thing is to do the work a little and often.
If, on the off chance, you haven’t got much garden or you’re new to it and would love to learn more then why not join the Environment team who meet on the 2nd Monday of each month at 9.30am for an hour to tidy up the green areas around the village. With the likes of Ieuan Williams and Brian Jones on the team you will be gardeners in no time.
RHS top tips for March
1. Protect new spring shoots from slugs.
2. Plant shallots, onion sets and early potatoes.
3. Plant Summer flowering bulbs.
4. Lift and divide overgrown clumps of perennials.
5. Top dress containers with fresh compost.
6. Mow the lawn on dry days.
7. Cut back cornus grown for its colourful stems.
8. Hoe and mulch weeds to keep under control.
9. Start to feed the fish and use the fountain.
10. Prune bush and climbing roses.
I have, for a number of years, tried to grow asparagus. Having followed the instructions to the letter I just can’t seem to stop the crowns from rotting. A friend suggests growing from seed so that they will acclimatise to my soil better. It will be worth persevering as fresh asparagus is lovely.
Once you have pruned your roses they will need a feed, but read the label on the fertiliser about the amount you should be giving them as over feeding is a waste and can be costly. This applies to all plants. Plug plants are a good way of keeping the costs down, rather than buying established plants ready to go in the ground. They will need a little more looking after but it is worth it.
This time last year garden centres were being signed up to take part in a plastic pot recycling scheme. The uptake was slow and everything seems to have gone quiet. If you’re concerned about this then ask the centres if they have signed up. Almost all of us will be buying plants, especially at this time of year. We as consumers can help persuade growers to change.
Lastly, I know it’s early but the village show in September will be a good place to show off your prize veg and plants so keep it in mind.
Take care and happy gardening