Tim's Gardening Tips

March in the Garden

Flower garden

Lift and divide clumps of herbaceous perennials if they have become too large.
Apply a general fertiliser such as blood, fish and bone and mulch borders with organic matter such as manure compost or bark chippings.

Roses, shrubs, hedges & climbers

Finish planting deciduous shrubs and hedging plants
Finish pruning climbing and bush roses.
Cut back late summer and autumn flowering clematis to the lowest pair of strong buds.
Prune back hard dogwood and willow shrubs grown for winter coloured stems, such as Cornus alba, Cornus sericea and Salix alba var vitellina.
Prune late summer flowering deciduous shrubs such as Buddleia, Caryopteris and Ceratostigma that flower on current year’s growth.
Feed and mulch shrubs, roses, hedges and climbers after pruning.

Trees

Lawns & meadows

Brush off worm casts with a stiff broom on a dry day.
Re-cut lawn edges if required.
Start mowing lawns when the grass is dry enough, setting the cutting height to maximum for the first cut.

Ponds & water features

Prevent ponds from freezing over completely by placing a ball or float on the surface.

Wildlife

Clean out birdbaths and keep free of ice.
Replenish birdfeeders regularly. Use a variety of different bird foods to attract a wider range of birds.
Put up nesting boxes for birds.

Out and About