Posted on 17th March 2017 by admin

  “March is a month of considerable frustration-it is the start of spring      and yet  across a great deal of the country the weather is still so  changeable that  outdoor  activity in our gardens seems light years  away” Thalassa Cruso

 With brighter evenings and milder temperatures Spring is finally here  although  with the changeable weather you would be forgiven for not  getting out into the  garden. Daffodils are at their best in the first few weeks of March and if you look  closely you will see buds appearing on the trees. There is always something to be  done in the garden and with the passing of winter now is the time to get active  and put our green fingers to good use.

Bulbs

Plant summer flowering bulbs such as Gladiolus and Lilies into beds, borders and pots after danger of

Ranunculus asiaticus mix

frost has passed. Try Persian buttercups (Ranunculus asiaticus). These bulbs are relatively inexpensive (c €2.50 for 20 bulbs) and put up a great show if they get free draining soil and some sun.  The bulb looks like a dried spider. Plant a couple inches deep with the ‘legs’ down. Pick off and seed heads on daffodils and other spring bulbs but leave the foilage to die back naturally. This will maximize energy take up to the bulb and speed up die back.

Lawn care

While it might be tempting to give your lawn the first trim of the season if the weather is good this can do more harm than good if the ground is wet underfoot. Wet soil compacts easily and prevent air and nutrient reaching the roots. If the ground is firm set your lawn mower fairly high. You are aiming just to top the grass and gradually reduce height over a number of weeks. It is always a good idea to get the mower serviced and blades sharpened prior to the first cut. Moss treatment can start towards the end of march. Use a good quality weed, feed, moss treatment, leave for about 10 days then scarify. It Is worth hiring out a machine if the moss is heavy. A light infestation can be raked out.

Shrubs: Cut down shrubs grown for their colorful winter stems such as Cornus (dog wood) and Salix cultivars. Cut down to 10 cm. from base. 

Cut out the top rosette of leaves from Mahonia shrubs after they have flowered to encourage branching. Trim winter-flowering heather as the flowers disappear, to prevent the plants becoming leggy. Dead-head Hydrangeas before new growth appears. Cut to about one third of last season’s growth. Prune buddleia hard, removing all growth down to 20-30 cm above the ground. It will soon rejuvenate and look a young, healthy and energetic shrub.

Herbaceous perennials

Now is an ideal time to plant herbaceous perennials. Lift and divide established perennial plants now to improve their vigor and create new plants for your garden. To lift a perennial with minimal root damage, begin digging at its drip line. The roots will generally extend that far, so digging there lets you lift the plant with most of its roots intact. Dig a trench around the clump, cleanly severing any roots, then cut at an angle down and under the clump from various points around the outer edge until you can lever the plant out of the hole. For large, heavy plants, you may have to first dig the trench, then slice straight down through the center of the plant as if it was a pie, halving or quartering before undercutting and lifting out. Tease out the individual plants. On larger clumps use 2 garden forks to help split the clumps. Select the most vigorous plants and move to their new home. Avoid letting them dry out. If they look dry, soak them in a bucket for a while prior to planting.

If you need assistance carrying out any of the above tasks please contact me.

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