The Gardener’s Calendar in March
“March is a month of considerable frustration – it is so near spring and yet across a great deal of the country the weather is still so violent and changeable that outdoor activity in our yards seems light years away.”
– Thalassa Cruso
March sees the days noticeably longer and the warmer sunshine brings out the early flowers. Later in the month the first flush of the year tends towards the yellow end of the spectrum, dominated by daffodils, narcissus and forsythia. This is closely followed by the rest of the spectrum. It’s a great time to be in the garden and there’s plenty to do once the grass has dried out from the winter elements.
There’s lots to do in the garden in preparation for the bright summer days amongst the bees, butterflies and perhaps the odd glass of wine in a shady corner!
March ‘Get ready for Spring’ task list:
- Rake lawns, mow with the blades set high and spike any badly drained areas before brushing sand into the holes.
- Start Dahlia tubers into growth in a warm dark place. Ideally 16C+ / 60F+. Dahlia seeds can go in later in March
- Sow hardy annuals outside towards the end of the month. Half hardy annuals can go in under glass
- Mulch fruit trees and bushes to keep the ground damp as the days get warmer and it’ll also help to keep the weeds down
- Prune established roses. Remove any which are past their best and replace with new varieties
- Add fertiliser and /or manure to established borders. We have plenty of organic fertilisers to choose from at Bumbles and they’ll give your plants a real spring boost!
- Plant gladioli bulbs in small groups around the garden. Their spikes of brightly coloured blooms will look stunning in the summer
- Get your early seed potatoes in and set out your main crop for “chitting“
- On the vegetable plot start preparing the ground for your seeds. Clean and rake seed beds now and the soil has a chance to settle before planting time.
- Give the garden a general tidy, clearing away any winter debris which could harbour slugs and snails
"Kalenda ya Mkulima wa Machi: ""Mashariki ni mwezi wa kukata tamaa kubwa, ni karibu sana na majira ya kuchipua, na bado katika sehemu kubwa ya nchi hali ya hewa bado ni kali na ya kubadilika, kwamba shughuli za nje katika vyumba vyetu zinaonekana miaka ya mwanga mbali, ""Mashariki inaona siku kwa muda mrefu na jua la joto huleta maua ya mapema." Katika majira ya joto, mimea ya rangi ya manjano huanza kuenea, na mimea ya rangi ya manjano, kama vile daffodils, narcissus na forsythia. Hii inafuatwa kwa karibu na mapumziko ya wigo. Ni wakati mzuri wa kuwa katika bustani na kuna mengi ya kufanya mara moja nyasi imekauka kutoka kwa vipengele vya majira ya baridi. Kuna mengi ya kufanya katika bustani katika maandalizi kwa ajili ya siku ya majira ya joto mkali kati ya nyuki, vipepeo na labda glasi ya ajabu ya mvinyo katika kona shady! Machi "Jitayarishe kwa Majira ya Mapinduzi" orodha ya kazi: - Rake lawns, kukata na blades kuweka juu na spike maeneo yoyote mbaya drained kabla ya brushing mchanga katika mashimo. - Anza ukuaji wa matumbo ya Dahlia katika mahali penye giza na yenye joto. Kwa mfano, 16C + 60F +. Mbegu za Dahlia zinaweza kupandwa baadaye mwezi Machi - Kupanda mimea ya kila mwaka yenye nguvu nje kuelekea mwisho wa mwezi. Nusu hardy annuals inaweza kwenda chini ya kioo - Mulch miti ya matunda na vichaka kuweka ardhi unyevu kama siku kupata joto na it'll pia kusaidia kuweka magugu chini - Prune imara roses. Kuondoa yoyote ambayo ni nyuma yao bora na kuchukua nafasi na aina mpya - Kuongeza mbolea na mbolea kwa mipaka ya kuanzishwa. Tuna mengi ya mbolea ya kikaboni kuchagua kutoka katika Bumbles na wao kutoa mimea yako boost halisi spring! - Panda matunguu ya gladioli katika vikundi vidogo-vidogo kuzunguka bustani. "Mchanga wa maua ya rangi nyangavu utaonekana mzuri sana wakati wa majira ya joto. - Pata mbegu zako za mapema za viazi na kuweka mazao yako kuu kwa ""chitting"" - Kwenye njama ya mboga, anza kuandaa ardhi kwa mbegu zako." Fanya kazi ya kusafisha na kuondoa mbegu na udongo utakuwa na nafasi ya kutulia kabla ya kupanda. - Kutoa bustani ya jumla safi, kuondoa mabaki yoyote ya majira ya baridi ambayo inaweza kuhifadhi slugs na konokono