Edition Thirty Six - March 2009

A cold winter like the one we suffered this year should do the garden a power of good, hopefully killing off most of the aphids whose numbers seem to have increased in recent years.

The many heavy frosts will have proved beneficial to those of you with clay soil, helping to break down the clay particles and making the soil more workable in spring.

We're coming into a busy time of year, clearing up after the winter and starting to work the garden for the coming seasons..  Towards the end of February we had some wonderfully warm and sunny days and it was a joy to be working outside, getting the gardens into shape and seeing signs of spring!

Jobs for the month

Houseplant care

Potbound houseplants can be transplanted into slightly larger pots.  Clean your houseplants' leaves with either a damp cloth or leafshine to freshen them up. Check for pests and other problems and treat accordingly.

Garden tools

Mowers and other garden machinery will benefit from servicing in readiness for the season ahead. Secateurs can also be sharpened and oiled.

Clean the greenhouse

Wash frames and glass inside and out with a solution of warm soapy water with dash of Jeyes Fluid to kill off pests and clean the glass, allowing maximum light in.

Tidy ponds

Clear away any previous season's plant debris from the pond, using a net to scoop out any leaves that have fallen into the water. Take care not to disturb any frogs that may have started mating..

Borders

When digging or hoeing the borders to freshen them up, add some extra compost or mulch. We always have have compost heaps on the go and each spring it gets used on the flower beds to replenish the soil.

Sow tender plants

Start sowing seeds now for summer bedding plants and tender vegetable crops. It's wise to give seeds some extra heat to encourage speedy germination, so you might consider investing in an electric propagator, or put the seed trays in freezer bags and put them on a sunny windowsill.

Pruning clematis

Summer-flowering clematis varieties that blossom on the current season's growth need to have last year's growth pruned out now. Cut any tangled old stems down to a pair of new shoots near ground level as soon as possible.

Divide snowdrops

Lift and divide any congested snowdrops after flowering but while still in leaf. Carefully tease the clumps apart and replant the bulbs at the same depth they were before. I divided a clump last year and now have several swathes of them in the garden now - it is a brilliant way to increase stock!

Fertilising

Hedges and trees tend to get neglected once they've matured but get into the habit of an annual dose of general-purpose fertiliser along their bases, followed by a generous mulch of rotted compost and see how they benefit from it.