March Jobs For the Garden
March is the first real month that the main gardening jobs start, and it’s so important to utilise the dry days to get a head start and get your garden ready for summer. It’s an exciting time to be outside as there is so much change happening too, I love exploring every plant for new buds and shoots.
My husband and I are notoriously bad at taking holiday from work and end up with lots we have to take before the start of April, so we usually have a week or two at the end of March that we use as a staycation and get all the garden jobs done together. It’s mainly garden maintenance jobs that have to happen, but there are also some seeds that can be sown at this time of year too. Here is what we get up to…
Paint fences. If you can find a couple of consecutive dry days, it’s great to get this job done early in the year. It’s a job that always takes longer than you think, so if you can enlist some help then do so! We have north facing fences that go green each year so it’s an annual job for us, and I have to say I love that they look fresh and looked after for the rest of the spring and summer when we are out there.
Replace bark around the raised beds at the bottom of the garden. This is mulching (if you want to do that check out this blog), but this is just the surface material of choice for us. IT beds down, or gets taken by birds so need topping up every few years, we’ve done it bi-annually – as needed.
Re-net planter cages (if needed). We built cages to go over the raised beds we have, to stop the birds and other pests getting in and eating the vegetables before we do. Two sides flap open for easy access to the beds, but that means they are prone to a little wear and tear. We use an industrial staple gun and a stretchy netting but it’s a two person job to rennet them.
Set up the zip up greenhouse. We’ve not quite got a real greenhouse yet (it’s this year’s project), so we are still going to use a collapsible one to harden off the veg I grow from seed. But there is usually still a risk of frost where we live up until April so I can’t fill it yet, but getting it set up means that as soon as the last frost has been and gone everything from my windowsills can live happily outside before they go into the ground.
Wash or brush (and sometimes treat) the decking. We jet washed and varnished ours last year which was a big job (and the varnish is expensive!) so we don’t do it every year, and actually I think it’s better for the decking wood not to blast it with the jet washer too frequently. A thorough brush with the outside broom can make it look so tidy, very quickly.
De weed the borders, and cut them in. It’s another ‘quick’ way to make your garden instantly look neater, and I find when things look tidy they feel more manageable so it’s a good job to get done in March. You can even re bark or mulch them if needed too.
The first lawn mow of the year can be done on a dry day. It’s also the perfect time to assess any need for new grass seed or treatment – you can take advantage of the fact there are still quite a lot of wet days which can really help new grass seed take.
If you haven’t snuck some in already, then it’s time to plant your first potatoes. Officially (as I learnt from my neighbour), the day to plant potatoes is Good Friday, and not before. But we both get a bit eager and if the area is protected (I’ve done some in a bag on my decking), then planting a few out every couple of weeks can give you a spread harvest. I’ve left it about 4 weeks in between planting my first lot and second. If you want more tips on growing potatoes, read this.
Empty planters and raised beds and replenish soil for vegetables. Add new compost, dig out any old roots, move any plants you don’t want in there anymore. Last year we moved our raspberries, tayberries and blackberries out of the planters so we have more space for other vegetables.
Clear out the shed. If you didn’t do a good tidy at the end of last year, or managed to do it before now, then this is the best time to have a sort out and see what you need to restock and what you can throw away. This year I had to deal with a lot of damage caused by some mice, so it’s definitely worth taking everything out and having a good sweep and reset.
There are a few seeds and vegetables that you can get going this month to (to be covered in a separate blog), but an easy one to do this month is a herb garden. I have two planters near my back doors that have Thyme, Rosemary, Coriander, Sage and Basil in. I love using fresh herbs in my cooking, so this year I’ve replenished the planters with some treats from Urban Herbs and the local garden centre.
I’d love to know what you do in the garden this month.
