The anticipation of spring - the busy month of March

March is a wonderful month in the garden with rejuvenation at every turn. There are many jobs to be done, but so much enjoyment and reward in the process.

• If you haven’t needed to mow the lawn during the winter, you will make a big difference to its appearance by giving a light cut now. It will tidy up the last of the autumn leaves too. Rediscover your edges with a half-moon edging iron to give a sharp and tidy appearance. Many lawns, as ever, are full of moss after the wet autumn. There are plenty of options to keep it controlled, but maybe in some areas it is best left alone, especially in wet areas or under trees. It has many environmental benefits and is greatly revered in Japan.
• Light levels are steadily improving, so make good use of greenhouses for early-start seedlings and young plants. Wash down all glass and surfaces to disperse winter debris before you start. If you don’t have a greenhouse, try a simple propagator on a windowsill or in a sunny room for sowing seeds. Warmth is good, but avoid the dryness of direct nearby heat from a radiator.
• Prune roses before their growth spurt, and apply a top dressing of granular feed to existing plants.
• Thin out, divide and re-plant clumps of perennials. Well-established herbaceous plants will benefit from more space and they will re-root with vigour at this time of year. Similarly, if you have put off planting a tree due to the wet autumn or frosty weather, don’t delay any further – roots need to be well established by the warmer, drier days of summer.

David Hogg

Buckland Nurseries