In the Garden

Doug says now is the best time to prune roses to encourage strong new growth, removing dead, damaged or diseased stems. Remember to wear gardening gloves to protect from thorns! Roses will keep growing and blooming even if gardeners neglect them entirely. However Roses do benefit from some TLC! The efforts you make in caring for your roses in the early spring will result in fewer problems for you to tend to during the growing season. March is also an ideal time to plant herbaceous perennials as spring is fast approaching. Perennials such as delphiniums and geraniums can also be grown to produce a beautiful display, as well as annuals to finish spring beds off.

Sowing

Aaron suggests sowing Sweet Peas outside this month, place autumn-sown sweet peas in a sunny position, perhaps on a high shelf in the greenhouse that gets plenty of light. Plant summer flowering bulbs, add some compost to the soil, a sprinkling of bone meal and plant them slightly deeper than they were in the pot they came in if already growing.

Maintenance

Angela says, once daffodils have flowered and they start to look past their best be sure to dead-head them. Simply pull them off by hand, the energy the plant saves by not having to ‘die-back’ and produce a seed head will be put to good use in the bulb, giving you a bigger display next year. The most effective way of improving soil in established borders is to mulch the surface with a 3cm-layer of organic matter, such as garden compost. By doing this, it will help to deter weeds and also trap moisture in the soil. Begin weeding as the weather warms - weeds are more easily controlled if removed young.

Pest Control

Greg says, now that spring has arrived, the temperature is slowly creeping upwards and with so much fresh, tender growth around, slugs and snails are in their element. Deal with them now and prevent damage before your plants disappear before your eyes! Either pick slugs and snails off by hand or use an organic control so as not to be harmful to other wildlife and pets.

Show Stopper Plants for March...

If you’re after some well needed colour in your garden this March then here are our top 4 favourites.

Anemone blanda

Daphne mezereum

Daffodils

Scilla siberica