March jobs in the Garden http://www.lejardindesespiemonts.fr/
It’s been so cold and wet recently, everyone was getting a bit fed up of winter (especially the ones who work outside!) Suddenly, however, there’s a feeling of spring in the air, with blue skies and fresh buds and shoots to cheer us all up! It’s the beginning of a busy season in the garden, and the number one job right now is a thorough spring clean.
Weeding
Start with weeding. Hopefully you’ve kept on top of this anyway, but even if you tackled the pesky perennial weeds when you put the garden to bed for the winter, they will be creeping back now. After all the rain we’ve just had, the sunny spell we’re about to enjoy will give weeds an optimum environment – tackle them now before they establish themselves. Remember that while you can get away with a quick hoeing for annual weeds, you need to pull perennial weeds out by the root to prevent re-growth.
Remove winter annuals
If you haven’t already, remove spent annuals from your winter planting before they turn to mush in your beds; they will make a great addition to your composter. Also clear away any leaves and twigs, which can also be added to your compost pile (though break up larger twigs for quicker composting).
Cut back grasses and perennials
Perennials and ornamental grasses are fantastic for winter interest, but they can’t be left indefinitely. Now is the time to cut them back, just before the new growth begins. Be bold with your secateurs and clip them to within a few centimetres of the ground to enable vigorous, healthy new growth.
Improve your soil
Once you have cleared and weeded your beds and borders, you can dig in some organic matter such as well rotted compost or manure to improve the soil condition. Let the soil dry out a bit after the recent rains though, as digging it while wet (where it sticks to your spade) will ruin the soil structure.Add in a generous amount if you’re planning on planting bulbs such as anemones, which require especially well-drained soils.
Once you have cleared and weeded your beds and borders, you can dig in some organic matter such as well rotted compost or manure to improve the soil condition. Let the soil dry out a bit after the recent rains though, as digging it while wet (where it sticks to your spade) will ruin the soil structure.Add in a generous amount if you’re planning on planting bulbs such as anemones, which require especially well-drained soils.
Mulch beds and borders
In addition to digging in organic matter, you can also use it to mulch your garden (use leaf mould, compost or manure). As well as helping to condition the soil, this will also suppress weed growth, insulate plant roots from temperature fluctuations, and retain the soil’s moisture levels (especiallyimportant during the hot summers we have here). Apply a nice thick layer of mulch, avoiding the stems and crowns of your plants (as this could cause rotting). If you want any of your plants to self-seed then delay mulching until after the plants have germinated.
Do not mulch your alpines, as these low-lying plants are susceptible to rotting. Instead, add gravel to these beds - itperforms the same weed-suppressing role, and also helps prevent stem rots. Further prevent rotting by removing dead leaves from around the basal rosettes of your alpine plants.
Pruning
Properly pruned plants will be happy and healthy, with optimum new growth.
This month you can trim your winter-flowering heathers (asthe flowers disappear) and your lavender (remember to trim the new growth only, don’t cut into the old wood).
Properly pruned plants will be happy and healthy, with optimum new growth.
This month you can trim your winter-flowering heathers (asthe flowers disappear) and your lavender (remember to trim the new growth only, don’t cut into the old wood).
Don’t prune spring-flowering shrubs yet though (wait until after they have flowered) but prune your summer-flowering deciduous shrubs (e.g. Hydrangea paniculata, Lavatera,Leycesteria, Perovskia, hardy fuchsias, and deciduousCeanothus). Also prune your winter flowering shrubs (e.g.Mahonia and vibrunum x bodnatense) after flowering.
Vines such as Ivy, Virginia Creeper and Boston Ivy should be pruned clear of windows, gutters and roof tiles. Ideally you will have pruned your wisteria last month, but if you haven’t quite got round to it, do it now.
Inspect your variegated evergreens for any reverted shoots(e.g. ones that are purely green). The green shoots are stronger than the variegated ones, and as they grow more quickly and vigorously, they will take over if you don’t remove them.
When you have finished pruning, feed the plants, to fuel their post-pruning growth spurt.
Pest Patrol
Make regular pest patrols, to head off the early infestationswhich will re-emerge with the good weather. Remove as many as you can by hand, to avoid excessive use of insecticides.Slugs, snails and aphids like to overwinter in the crowns of perennial plants while vine weevil larvae can be found lurking in pots and containers and compost heaps.
Make regular pest patrols, to head off the early infestationswhich will re-emerge with the good weather. Remove as many as you can by hand, to avoid excessive use of insecticides.Slugs, snails and aphids like to overwinter in the crowns of perennial plants while vine weevil larvae can be found lurking in pots and containers and compost heaps.
Divide and plant Galanthus “in the green”
Galanthus (snowdrops) are just coming to the end of flowering at the moment, so you can lift and divide them. Planting them “in the green” (after they’ve finished flowering but while they still have green leaves) assists them in establishing themselves in their new position, and while Galanthus don’t require dividing in order to thrive, as they are quite happy to spread themselves and don’t suffer from over-crowding, it’s nice to maximise on your stock by digging up a clump or two and spreading them further throughout the garden.
Galanthus (snowdrops) are just coming to the end of flowering at the moment, so you can lift and divide them. Planting them “in the green” (after they’ve finished flowering but while they still have green leaves) assists them in establishing themselves in their new position, and while Galanthus don’t require dividing in order to thrive, as they are quite happy to spread themselves and don’t suffer from over-crowding, it’s nice to maximise on your stock by digging up a clump or two and spreading them further throughout the garden.
Planting
Now is a good time to plant summer flowering bulbs (aliums, anemones, calla lilies, freesias, gladiolus, iris, nerines etc.). They’ll benefit from your soil improvements, as organic matter improves drainage, which is essential for preventingbulbs from rotting.
You can also plant herbaceous perennials such as echinacea, geranium and oriental poppies and ornamental grasses. This isalso a great time for planting roses.
The Pottager
Once your vegetable plot is thoroughly weeded, freshly dug over and improved with lots of compost,you can enjoy seed sowing. Wait a few more weeks until nearing the end of the month when the soil will be a bit warmer for direct sowing, or sow into seed trays now, to transplant next month. You’ve hopefully sown your broad beans already, but if not, do it now. Then over the next few weeks, lettuce, leeks, cauliflower and peas are all good candidates for your March vegetable seed sowing.
Chit potato tubers
Lots of gardens over here are not ideal for potato growing, but it would be a shame to not grow a few spuds. If, like us, your garden consists of just a few inches of soil before you hit rock, you could always grow potatoes in containers, or alternatively, you could build raised beds, which enables you to increase the soil depth, whilst also clearly defining no-tread areas for excellent soil structure.
If you are growing them, you can start chitting your potatoes now. Place them in a bright, dry, cool, frost-free place, rose end up (the end with the most eyes). In approximately 4 – 6 weeks, when the shoots are 2.5 c.m. 1” long, they’ll be ready for planting. Chitting them isn’t essential, but it’s useful, as it encourages their initial growth process.
