Seven spring gardening tips and tricks
As the days slowly get lighter, the weather starts to show the first signs of warming up and the snowdrops show their pearly white heads, it’s time to get your garden ready for spring.
Gardening tips for March
1. Create a plan
It’s a good time to review what you want your garden to look like – or produce, if you are creating a vegetable patch - throughout the year. Gardener’s World has plenty of ideas for designing gardens big or small.
2. Spring clean your shed
Cleaning up and organising your garden workspaces, whether that’s a garden shed and/or greenhouse will make tasks easier in the months to come. Paint or protect woodwork. Clear out debris and unwanted items from last year. Wash windows and dust shelves. Clean and sharpen tools.
3. Get rid of weeds
Before you attempt to plant anything new, you need to get to the root of unwelcome weeds that may have thrived in the winter months. Use a tall weeding tool to save your back from aches and pains and be sure to pull them out roots and all.
4. Act on pest control
As the weather warms up, slugs and snails come out to enjoy all that tasty fresh growth. Organic slug pellets will help to keep them under control or try ordering nematodes – these microscopic worms control slugs, and other pests, naturally.
5. Prepare your soil
To create the perfect nutrient-packed base for plants to flourish, dig your soil over with a spade or fork and mix well-rotted manure or compost into the soil as you go.
6. Vegetables to plant in March
There are plenty of vegetables that will thrive in cooler weather and are ideal to plant right at the start of spring, including carrots, celery, chives, beetroot, peas, leeks and lettuce.
7. Flowers to plant in March
You can sow hardy annuals seeds – like poppies, borage and cornflower, directly in the soil outside in March. Try a wildflower mix. Sweetpeas, dahlias and perennials like lupins and echinacea can be planted under glass at this time of year too.
Like this article?
You might also enjoy this one on how to attract birds to your garden, this one on balcony gardening or Jane Perrone’s advice on cultivating indoor plants. Alternatively, to enjoy large and beautiful gardens without all the hard work, take a look at our retirement developments across the UK.
