March breathes new life into the garden after the long dormancy of winter. Trees and shrubs begin to stir from their seasonal slumber, while bulbs push through to form carpets of colour beneath the canopies of mature planting.

For gardeners, it’s one of the most rewarding times of year. As temperatures rise, time spent outdoors becomes less demanding, and the promise of the months ahead provides just the motivation needed to tackle those last lingering jobs on the list.

Jobs to do in March include:

Ornamental Garden:

• A general fertiliser could be applied over borders if felt necessary. If leaves look yellow on shrubs then give them a folate feed (liquid feed via watering can).
• Aerate lawn with a wire rake if mild and not waterlogged.
• Remove any dead, diseased or damaged growth from trees and shrubs.
• Finish mulching if not done in Autumn.
• Put manure / rose feed around all roses and check for dead, diseased or dying shoots.
• Deadhead bulbs regularly.
• Now is a good time to plant new Perennials and summer-flowering bulbs. Re-pot or top-dress all containers.
• Weed regularly.
• Edge / define all borders if not done already.
• Plant Roses.
• Sow hardy annuals for summer colour.
• Repair damage to lawns if necessary.
• Harden off hardy annuals sown under glass.
• Cut back any remaining growth from herbaceous / grasses left over from the winter.
• Divide summer flowering perennials like astrantia, hemorocallis, hosta etc.
• Coppice dogwoods / willows etc if not done before now.

Veg Garden:

• Prune Gooseberries and red and white currants. Remove deadwood and then spur prune all sideshoots back to 2 – 3 buds from the base. Shorten branch tips by one quarter.
• Direct sow shallots and onion setts.
• Harvest the last of the winter crops and compost any un- diseased debris.
• Sow aubergines, cucumbers, tomatoes and chillies in an indoor heated propagator.

Alex Bell is an award winning Garden Designer based in Steyning, West Sussex. If you would like to find out more feel free to find out more, or discuss, our services please see the contacct details below.