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With the weather getting warmer and the days stretching longer, there are lots of tasks to tick off in the garden to ensure a flourishing yard come spring.
Lawn and gardening specialist at lawnmower brand Hayter, Chris Cooper, said March is the perfect time to start whipping your garden back into shape, and to begin mowing your grass.
‘As soon as the weather is consistently above six degrees, the soil starts to soften, and the majority of Brits begin new gardening projects,’ he told the Daily Mail.
‘It’s also the most important month when it comes to prepping for the year ahead, whether that’s by raising the cutting height on mowers or by weed-proofing our lawns. There’s plenty of gardening jobs to be getting on with in March.’
Garden lovers can now get to work eliminating winter weeds, trimming the lawn, pruning shrubs and mulching borders.
Chris also warned that March is when creepy crawlies start to warm out of the woodwork, so he recommended curbing their spread as soon as possible.
MARCH GARDEN CHECKLIST: THE MUST-COMPLETE JOBS ACCORDING TO A GARDEN SPECIALIST
WEEDING
Chris said weeds, usually bulbs, like to crop up in mid to late March and to get rid of them before they have a chance to get established.
‘This makes March an ideal time to physically remove weeds, as their roots are typically still shallow and easier to lift. This is the same for weeds in flowerbeds and borders,’ he said.
Lawn and gardening specialist at lawnmower brand Hayter, Chris Cooper, said March is the perfect time to start whipping your garden back into shape, and to begin mowing your grass (stock image)
‘You can tackle weeds by hand, with a hoe or by using a garden-safe weedkiller. However, the simplest (and often most cost-effective) method is hand-pulling.’
The garden guru suggested investing in a sturdy pair of gardening gloves to effectively pull away all those pesky weeds while keeping your hands clean and protected.
‘Gently work perennial weeds out with your fingers, ensuring you remove the entire plant, including the bulb and root. Annual weeds should also be removed early, before they have the chance to set seed,’ he said.
‘If you’re removing weeds from a lawn, take care not to disturb the surrounding grass. Occasionally, a root system may be longer than expected, even in March.
‘In those cases, a weed fork can offer extra precision, helping you ease out deeper roots from turf or soil while minimising damage to the surrounding area.’
MOWING
While March is the best time to start mowing, Chris warned against trimming your grass too short, as it can damage the soil and encourage weeds to grow and instead cut it down slightly higher than you want it in the height of summer.
‘For most regions in the UK, the mowing season tends to get underway around mid-March, depending on local temperatures. While it’s tempting to neaten everything up with the first few cuts of the year, it pays to hold back slightly,’ he said.
‘A good rule of thumb is to remove no more than a third of the grass height at any one time. Cutting too low can create ideal conditions for weeds to establish themselves, particularly during brighter spells.’
Chris said the best way to achieve this is to leave your mower on the highest cutting blade height during March.
‘Stronger sunlight stimulates dormant weed seeds, encouraging them to grow. When grass is cut very short, it offers less shade and protection, making it easier for weeds to spread across the lawn,’ he added.
PRUNING
According to Chris, March is the ‘perfect’ time to get to pruning your garden shrubs.
‘It’s an essential early-spring task that helps improve both the vitality and appearance of your garden bushes,’ he said.
‘The further back you cut your English shrub roses, the leafier they’ll grow back, which is exactly the look you want for a vibrant summer garden.
‘Remember, the hardest cutbacks often produce the strongest growth! Don’t forget to trim closely positioned stems to keep your plants healthy.’
Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) recommends making sure to prune plants like wisteria, overgrown hedges, as well as conservatory climbers like bougainvillea.
It’s also wise to prune winter-flowering plants that are no longer flowering to encourage strong, healthy shoots for the next season.
Roses can be pruned and planted now, but the RHS warns not to plant the popular flower in areas where they have been previously established, as new bushes could be susceptible to replant diseases.
MULCHING
Mulching your garden borders is one of the most important parts of spring preparation, according to Chris.
The gardening pro said to hold off a couple of weeks, as the task is best done in mid to late March.
‘This gives summer bulbs the best chance to grow strong, particularly if the weather is colder or drier than usual,’ he said.
Chris said the process is ‘simple’ and to start by watering the soil to help it retain moisture.
‘Then apply mulch compost by covering the soil around your plants with around five centimetres of compost, taking care not to damage the stems,’ he said.
‘Finally, use a rake or spade to distribute it evenly across the bed.’
PEST-PROOFING
‘Unfortunately, March isn’t just an exciting time for gardeners – pests like to get involved too,’ Chris warned.
Slugs and snails become active this time of year, but fret not, as the expert said that there are chemical-free remedies you can use to protect your plants.
‘One natural method is to encourage thrushes into your garden by providing bird boxes and baths; they’ll happily pick off slugs during their visits to your garden,’ he said.
‘Another tip is to create raised flower beds. Slugs and snails struggle to climb rough wood, making raised beds an effective barrier and keeping your garden chemical-free, while protecting plants and vegetables.’
PLANTING
If you’re aiming to create a colourful floral display in your yard for spring, Chris recommended planting bulbs in late March in groups of four or six.
‘The more bulbs you include, and the wider the variety, the more vibrant your garden will look in summer,’ he said.
‘For the ideal March bulbs to plant, be sure to check the back of your packs for specific timings.’
He advised planting each bulb at a depth of about two to three times its size, making sure the shoot faces upwards and leaving at least a bulb’s width between each one.
Then cover them with soil, water thoroughly, then ‘sit back and enjoy the results as they grow’.
When it comes to vegetables, Chris said March is the time to get your summer patch going.
‘Most vegetables are heavy feeders, so start by enriching your plot with organic matter, such as your typical growing compost. Work it well into the soil and spread evenly to boost your yield,’ he said.
‘For summer crops, popular choices include carrot, beetroot, chicory, spinach and spring onion. These plants thrive in full sun, so be sure to position your plot out of the shade.’
FEBRUARY GARDEN TASKS TO CATCH UP ON
RHS’s top 10 gardening jobs to do in February Prepare vegetable seed beds, and sow some vegetables under coverChit potato tubersProtect blossom on apricots, nectarines and peaches Net fruit and vegetable crops to keep the birds off Prune winter-flowering shrubs that have finished flowering Divide bulbs such as snowdrops, and plant those that need planting ‘in the green’ Prune Wisteria Renovate overgrown hedges with pruning Prune conservatory climbers such as bougainvillea At end of month, start cutting back deciduous ornamental grasses to allow new growth to come through
Source: RHS
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RHS chief horticulturalist Guy Barter said there’s plenty of gardening jobs to be done in February, but it’s best to leave many of the chores for drier days.
‘February (is an) important month to get everything, in the greenhouse and outside, ready for March to June when the garden gets going and finish off winter pruning, planting and soil preparation,’ he said.
‘But this is tricky – windy, sunny and dry is good, but all too often we get a February Fill Dike as per the famous picture.’
According to the RHS, the top job to get done on the dry days in February is to prepare vegetable seed beds and start sowing veggie seeds under cover, protected from the elements.
Keen gardeners can also start ‘chitting’ potatoes, pruning any unruly branches, and cleaning up the greenhouse.
For already established gardens, Guy said February should be about focusing on pruning, sprucing up the greenhouse, getting soil ready, sorting out seeds and planting.
While birds are usually welcome guests in any garden, they pick and peck at this time of year, thwarting new and established plants before they get a chance to blossom, so putting some pest-proof guards in place might save your sprouts.
The RHS recommends sowing lettuces and other salad crops, but make sure they are planted under cover.
Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) chief horticulturalist Guy Barter (pictured) has shared the tasks to tackle in the garden in February
If you have top and soft fruits like apricots, nectarines and peaches, now is the time to put some frost protection in place.
Depending on what you’re growing, green thumbs may need to use a fleece or cloche overnight so your fruits don’t succumb to icy conditions.
WHAT YOU SHOULD – AND SHOULDN’T – PLANT IN FEBRUARY
What can and cannot be planted in February depends on how much rainfall there has been or how dry your garden is.
If the soil is dry, Guy gave his go-ahead to plant onion sets and broad beans outdoors.
February isn’t quite the ideal time for planting shrubs and trees, including fruit, as it’s best to wait for March or April, but Guy said if the soil is dry enough, it’s ‘good to get ahead’.
It’s the same deal for herbaceous perennial flowers like geraniums, irises, and peonies – while the soil is often not dry enough, it’s good to plant them now if you’re lucky enough to land on dry conditions.
Lily bulbs can be planted in pots either indoors or in a cool greenhouse, and dahlias can be potted up in a light, warm place.
Other florals to plant, sew or pot in February include sweet peas, hardy annuals, summer-flowering Dutch iris bulbs, and gladioli corms.
Guy said February isn’t the time to plant tender annuals like agapanthus and that they should wait until April.
CURB THE CRITTERS
Pigeons feed on a variety of plants, from lilacs and peas to brassicas like cauliflower and cabbage.
They tend to peck at and rip the leaves, and can strip buds and fruits, which, in extreme cases, can mean the plants don’t produce crops.
Guy said: ‘Birds can get ravenous, so netting brassicas is wise, and put out some bird food to distract them and keep them from harm.’
Pigeons have a taste for cherries, lilacs, peas, currants, and other fruits, too, but established trees and shrubs usually recover well from prying beaks.
Netting can be placed over vulnerable plants, but make sure it is pulled taut so birds and other animals don’t get trapped underneath.
Aside from birds, garden lovers should keep their eyes peeled for spider mites, fungus gnats and aphids.
Alpha Pest Control suggests using clean tools and fresh compost, as well as bottom watering trays and pots, which can help control their spread.
Instead of hosing down plants from above, place pots and trays in shallow water for 10-15 minutes to let the bottom layer of soil soak it up.
This method stops fungus, pests, and diseases from being splashed onto neighbouring plants.
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