Gardening Jobs for March

– Start feeding blueberries and other ericaceous plants such as azaleas, camellias, pieris and rhododendrons a feed this month with ericaceous fertiliser.

– Weeds will be developing as well as your plants at this stage so start to keep on top of them now before they start to take over. It is much easier to remove them now whilst they are still young.

– Mulch a generous layer of well-rotted manure or garden compost around fruit trees, roses and shrubs, being careful not to touch their trunks, branches or stems.

– Give roses a feed with a balanced fertiliser as they start to grow.

– Deadhead spring bulb flowers like daffodils and tulips when they have finished blooming but allow the leaves and stem to grow back naturally to allow the plant to generate sufficient energy to grow the following year.

– Feed non-fruiting trees, shrubs and hedges with a granular slow release tree, shrub and hedge specific fertiliser, forking it in lightly to the top of the soil.

– Feed your cabbages and brassicas with a nitrogen-rich fertiliser like chicken manure or a vegetable and brassica top dressing fertiliser to help to produce larger healthier crops.

– If any of your climbing plants are likely to need plant supports, put them in now. It is much easier to add them in advance rather than trying to slot them in as they grow.

– To avoid them setting seed, keep deadheading any spring flowers or winter bedding plants.

– Once temperatures have sufficiently risen, take down your bubble insulation to let in more light into your greenhouse. On sunny days, start opening the greenhouse vents to prevent a build-up in humidity.

– If you need to harden off any plants, move them from the greenhouse to a cold frame now but keep an eye on the temperatures in case of a frost risk.

– As the breeding season starts, make sure your garden birds have enough food to help them.

– Remove slimy mould and algae patches on paths, patios, steps and driveways with a pressure washer or specialised patio cleaner.

– If the ground is dry enough, you can mow your lawn for the first time this month but only if the ground isn’t soft or frozen underfoot. Set your blades on their highest setting and choose a dry day to avoid stress to the grass. If the weather has remained mild, you can also apply a spring/summer lawn fertiliser four days after the first cut.

– If you are going to be applying lawn seed during the spring, prepare your soil now by removing debris and use a decent starter fertiliser. Preparing the soil now will give the fertiliser to work in before sowing.

– Check your house plants regularly for signs of common pests such as aphids, mealybugs, scale and thrips. If detected, spray them with a targeted bug control spray.