What to do in the Garden this March

Welcome to March and the beginning of Autumn! It’s nature’s time for planting. As the soaking Autumn rains begin, the warmth of the baking summer sun is retained in the soil, thanks to the natural mulch created by the falling Autumn leaves. Milder temperatures and more reliable rainfall makes Autumn gardening an absolute joy.

Garden jobs for March:

• Continue to harvest as summer fruits and vegetables mature.
• As crops finish, prepare garden beds for planting by adding compost and mulch.
• Consider some crop rotation to give your garden beds a break and rejuvenate the soil. Plant a Green Manure Crop for a season to give back some much-needed nutrients.
• Autumn is time to plant spring flowering bulbs. These are beginning to arrive at garden centres now.
• For areas with a lower ph – Add lime to lawns and garden beds to be washed in and to sweeten the soil. Note: do not use lime where acid loving plants such as Azaleas, Rhododendrons, Pieris or Daphne are grown.
• Feed Citrus trees and continue to water well.
• Watch for caterpillars attacking leafy crops in the veggie garden. Ask your garden centre expert about the best solutions.
• Fertilise lawns to help to recover from the stress of summer.
• Sweet peas are very colourful and very popular. Now is the time to sow. Tall, medium or dwarf sweet peas all share the same desire for sun and good drainage.
• Prune back roses for an abundant Autumn show.
• Feed cymbidium orchids now to encourage flower spikes and larger flowers.
• New season’s Cyclamen, Primulas, Polyanthus, Violas, Dianthus and Pansies are beginning to arrive ready for autumn planting
• Autumn is the perfect time for planting natives and advanced trees.

What to grow in March:

Flowers:

• Alyssum
• Calendula
• Cineraria
• Cornflower
• Dianthus
• Nemesia
• Pansy
• Primula
• Snapdragon
• Virginian Stock
• Viola
• Sweet Pea

Edibles: