Gardener's Diary is a regular feature of Age-Net run by our Deputy Editor

Rosemary Martin

 

It occured to me that some of you may be new to gardening, or might have downsized to a smaller house with a brand new garden and not have a clue how to begin getting it into shape; so I put together a few guidelines to get you started - click on this link..

Have you got a pink lawn? No I'm not kidding you, this winter has seen outbreaks of fusarium, which thrives in the wet grass beneath the snow causing a condition known as 'snow mould' or 'pink patch'. You can read all about it here ..

My update this month from Thompson & Morgan particularly pleased me because I love Buddlejas. They have developed their first Buddleja that has been specifically bred to be a dwarf variety. Ideal for growing in patio pots and containers, Buddleja ‘Buzz’™ is quite unlike traditional buddleja plants, that have a reputation for growing too tall and becoming unruly. See photo above left..

Let's hope that the weather improves this month, a couple of days in the garden is just what we need..

 

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Jobs for the month - March

Vegetables

With the days now lengthening and generally slightly less chill in the air, early spring is the foremost time in the gardener`s calendar when we can`t wait to get planting and sowing. It is, however, a time for caution, as winter seldom comes to an abrupt, convenient end as spring approaches.

A very common cause of disappointment for novice gardeners is sowing too early, particularly outdoors. Some gardeners use glass cloches and mini polytunnels to get an early start, but often seeds and plants put out several weeks later will overtake early crops because they have not suffered a check in their growth. If you can, try to make early sowings in trays and pots for planting out a few weeks later, when conditions are more favourable.

Some vegetables are not worth sowing early because they mature quickly and later sowings will be ready for harvest at the same time as the weaker, riskier early sowings. By mid spring many varieties of vegetables can be sown directly into a prepared seed bed, such as lettuce, radishes, spring onions, peas, carrots, beetroot and summer brassicas, but even then be prepared to protect vulnerable young seedlings from sharp late frosts.

Fruit

March is a relatively quiet month in the fruit season. Complete any pruning of gooseberries and currant bushes. Finish planting bare rooted plants and plant out strawberry runners into prepared beds when the ground is not frozen. Established rhubarb roots can now be covered over with a large pot or dustbin to force new stems, which should be ready for the table in six weeks time. Check fruit tree stakes for stability after the winter gales, sprinkle a general fertiliser around the base of trees and mulch to maintain moisture levels. Protect fruit buds from birds by netting over if possible.

Garden furniture

Give wooden furniture a coat of paint to freshen it up. I tend to get carried away and will paint almost anything in sight! (see the summerhouse on the left.) I find that heavy terracotta pots are difficult to lift, so I buy the cheap plastic lightweight tubs and paint them with the same paint. My favourite tubs cost about £1.99 and are filled with Japanese grass, which comes up year after year. (Also in picture on the left and notice the painted trellis too!)

Lawns

If the weather is warm enough and dry enough, now would be a good time to start raking out the dead stuff, either with a lawn rake or an electric scarifier. If you have suffered with lawn subsidence and have a few bumps or hollows, now is the time to repair them, before the seasons growth starts. Cut out the square of lawn surrounding the part to be repaired, then either level off a mound or fill in the hollow with soil, finally replacing the turf and watering it in.

Herbaceous and shrub borders

Pull out any persistent weeds that remain from last year, prune and tidy up any straggly or frost-blackened shrubs and rake over the earth to give it a fresher look, taking care not to disturb any emerging bulbs. If there are any perennials starting to come up, such as Delphiniums or Phlox, you could put supports in place now, so they can start to grow through them. I use the metal ones that can be raised higher as the plants grow. Take care not to disturb any seedlings that may have self-sown from last year. Any that are in the way may be potted up, or moved.

Trees and shrubs

Most trees and shrubs will start into growth this month, giving an overall fresher look to the garden. Watch out for an early invasion of aphids in a warm spell. They will very quickly inhabit tender new shoots of shrubs, but be very careful not to kill off any ladybirds if you are using a spray to eliminate them.

Wildlife

The birds are really noisy now, especially the sparrows who seem to awaken long before the sun is up. They will all need to have a constant supply of fresh water and if you have been feeding the birds in your garden over winter, don`t stop now...It has been such a cold winter that it may be worth examining the peanuts and other food that has been left out for the birds, to ensure it has not gone mouldy. If it has, give the containers a thorough wash before re-filling them..

Plug plants

Garden centres and supermarkets have been selling trays of plug plants since the first week in February. I think four months is too long to house these tiny fragile plants whilst `growing them on` and prefer to wait until late April or even May before getting mine. If you do buy them early, make sure they are potted up into bigger pots straight away, so the roots don`t get entwined and pot-bound. Keep them in as light a situation as you can, making sure, too that they have warmth, so they don`t dampen off.