Mzzz B's March Garden Blog – Reminder

Mixed Hellebores

February Gold

Corydlis solida

Primroses.

The March Garden.
We published this earlier in the month but it is well worth a second look. Despite the blast of winter ,spring is definitely around the corner. As usual weed seeds have started to germinate and need pulling out. I have been enjoying early daffodils, primroses, hellebores and a pretty little corydalis which have all come into flower in the garden. See photographs.

We have also been digging up large clumps of snowdrops and splitting them. Spreading them around the garden.This is the time to do this, whilst they have just flowered – "in the green" is the best time to move and propagate snowdrops. They hate to dry out so it is best to always buy them when they are growing or just at the end of their growing season.

Jobs to do in the garden

• Cut back dogwood, willows and continues to promote new growth. Also last chance to a prune shrubs that have outgrown their space , before they really start shooting. The principle is to cut to the ground a third of the old shoots, so this renews the plant every 3 years. But don't prune early flowering shrubs leave this til after flowering or else you will lose all the flowers.
• At end of month plant lilies and other summer flowering bulbs.
• Sow native wildflowers in modules or pots to produce plants for a mini meadow, or wait til soil warms up and sow direct.
• Check roses etc for early signs of aphids and squish!
• Cover veg plot with plastic or old carpet to warm it up prior to planting out potatoes towards middle or end of month.
• Plant onion sets and shallots.
• As soon as soil warms up sow parsnips, they are slow to germinate so sow radishes long side to mark row and get an early crop of salad.
• In greenhouse sow seeds of lettuce, parsley, celery and celeriac to start them off early.Sow dwarf beans in a large pot in the greenhouse to get a crop inJune
• Blackcurrants need a high nitrogen fertilise at this time of year.
• Start mowing lawns when grass starts to grow.