KEEP MARCH-ING ON...
Later in the month it is a joy to see white, pink tinged magnolia blooms set against a blue sky.
Golden Narcissus trumpets take over the role of crocuses and snowdrops to produce a heated display of nodding flowers.
Summer flowering shrubs such as Weigela and Potentilla previously looking dull and stark throw out fresh green shoots, ahead in schedule of larger overhanging deciduous trees.
Additionally Primroses and Polyanthus’ will excel as their colour range exceeds the spectrum of an early spring rainbow. It’s not too late to set containers for a gorgeous spring display. Pots of bulbs can be purchased and planted alongside Pansies and other early bloomers.
(Paul Tovey)
January, February, Mulch
AS THE winter elements ease off, now is the time to apply a mulch of compost around shrubs, trees and roses. Don’t forget to also do this under your hedges and around fruit trees.
A good mulch will benefit your plants by conserving moisture - keeping weeds down and adding nutrients which can be topped up by scattering rooster (chicken manure) pellets.
Garden composts are available in different forms. Undoubtedly one of the best is well-rotted manure, but if this is unavailable, garden shops stock blended horse manure compost. Another good option is to use spent mushroom compost - although its availability does vary.
Whichever option you take, a bag or two of composted bark mixed in would do wonders particularly around larger shrubs or trees. Fertiliser-wise, if you don’t like the smell of rooster, then organic fish blood and bone is just as good. Avoid the use of synthetic fertilisers such as ‘Growmore’ as this can burn the roots of some plants, particularly Conifers and Heathers and is, in my opinion, a poor quality alternative.
A SURE sign of spring is the appearance of weeds. One of the worst at this time of year (especially if it is wet) is Chickweed. Pull these out before they get a chance to flower and set seed.
GET A head-start on your Gladioli displays, by starting the corms off in pots indoors, will bring forward tthe display from August to July.
DEADHEAD your Daffs so the energy goes into the leaves which will ultimately return energy back to the bulb later in spring. Deadheading Primroses is crucial to prolonging their display.
Adding to the greenhouse effect-iveness
IN AN unheated greenhouse, protect seedlings of annuals on frosty nights by covering with fleece or sheets of newspaper.
For a look that's quite de-sink-tive
WHY NOT transform some old items you no longer use into ornamental garden features?
By cleaning up old vehicle tyres and sinks, you can rejuvenate these containers into perfect mini-gardens.
During this month, there are plenty of plants which will liven up these articles and make a difference to your patio displays. Here are a few suggestions.......
1. Narcissus ‘Tête -à- Tête’ will provide you with miniature Daffodil blooms over a long period in early spring.
2. Saxifraga ‘Mossy Purple’ is an alpine variety which will add soft lilac flowers - ideally suited to an old sink. Pinks and whites are also available.
3. Aubrieta ‘Variegata’ will trail over the edges of containers and produce soft purple hummocks of blooms, above cream lined soft green leaves.
4. Primula ‘Auricula’ is a succulent variety of primrose available in many colours and shades, flowering for a long period in spring.
5. Viola ‘ Cottage mixed’ produces dainty flowers in all shades which look well in the natural setting of an old container.
6. Primula ‘Denticulata’. Imagine this drumstick-flowered primrose in shades of blue, planted in an old tyre painted silver. Strangely magical!
Another container you could use is a wooden wheelbarrow which is available from all good garden centres. These seem to be particularly effective for displaying bulbs and spring bedding plants.
SNOWDROPS will finish flowering this month and it is easy to increase their numbers by lifting and dividing them ‘in the green’.
Plant them in clusters of threes or fours a few inches apart in clumps or drifts and let them die back naturally.
Giving them a liquid feed would be beneficial to their display next year.
If you have no Snowdrops, they can be ordered from catalogues and planted in the same way.
Winter Aconites which have flowered can be ordered or / and treated in the same way.
MARCH is the month to prune roses. Year after year this often causes confusion, so we will take the complexity out of this task and make it simple and enjoyable.
First of all, the pruning depends on what sort of display you would like to see this summer.
With Hybrid Tea roses, pruning severely means you will have a few very large blooms. Conversely, light pruning will give you many smaller flowers. Old fashioned shrub roses renowned for their scent should be pruned back by about half.
Whichever rose you have, use a sharp pair of secateurs to cut just above a bud - at the same angle as the new shoot is emerging. Don’t cut too close to the bud as any infection could result in ‘die back’.
It’s a good idea to apply a mulch and spray against blackspot as the young shoots emerge. Prevention is better than cure.
AUTUMN planted Alliums in small pots (protected from squirrels) will be emerging and can be planted out in a dry sunny position.
CAMELLIAS are ideal Mother’s Day gifts and make a long lasting shrub for a patio container or semi-shaded border. They are easier to look after than is generally thought. The golden rules are regular watering and feeding with ericaceous fertiliser during the growing season and position your shrub facing south or west. An east facing position would mean the sun damaging frosted blooms in the mornings by turning them brown in the early spring.
GIVE your lawn a kick start by applying lawn sand to kill moss and rake out the remains. It’s a good month to apply a feed with weed killer and to spike (aerate) the grass. Define the edges with a half-moon tool.
YOUNG Hosta and Delphinium shoots are often prone to slug attack in March. Scatter fine grit around the plants with beer traps. Failing that, use slug pellets but be careful not to harm cats and birds.
See you next month!
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