Garden year planner – Jobs for March
March is full of anticipation and can be a very exciting time for the gardener. Although they can be subtle there will almost certainly be signs of spring in the air. Green shoots and flowers will be bursting into life all around!
This is one of the busiest months of year for the vegetable gardener with plenty of things to get done before the growing season reaches full speed.
Maintain Garden tools and machinery,
This is the time to oil and maintain garden machinery and tools, A drop of linseed oil on wooden handles and a change of oil in the mower will ensure they keep working their best throughout the busy season ahead.
Service mower and other mechanical tools
Oil wooden handles with linseed, sharpen garden tools, Clean greenhouse, Wash out pots
Pruning,
It’s a good time of year to prune shrubs and trees. Typically for fruit trees or shrubs cut back one third of the previous years growth. Cut with a sharp tool just after an emerging bud. This will encourage new growth and keep plants healthy. Make sure cuttings are removed from base as dead wood can encourage rot and pests.
What should i be eating?
This is time to be pulling the last of the parsnips before they start to regrow. If left they will become woody and start to go to seed. – consider leaving one for next seasons seeds.
Leeks should also be harvested now. They actually freeze pretty well so will be handy over the next couple of months while waiting for the early crops to come through.
This time of year is probably the hardest for those striving for self sufficiency so it’s probably worth spending some time noting down what stored well so you can plan for next year
If your squash have been overwintered well they should still be good to eat. Butternut squash are particularly good keepers! Onions and garlic should be OK from last year but if not don’t worry because spring onions are not far off!
If you have been enthusiast with the winter veg you may be harvesting Kale, Sorrel, Cabbage and Rhubarb.
What to sow in March
This is a busy month for planting and sowing,
Indoors,
Tomato’s
Chillies, Sow in heated propagators or warm location – See our Chill growers guide
Aubergines,
Early Squash varieties
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Calabrese
Outside,
Salads can go in now, keep them covered if you can.
Climbing beans, sow in good well prepared soil
Onions, For big onions, Kelsae or Alisa Craig, – See our How to grow onions guide
Peas, Plant at the end of the month in milder areas, cover to keep away from thieving pigeons!
Potatoes, Traditionally planted over the Easter weekend but can be sown earlier in warmer areas. Choose an “early” variety such as Winston or Maris Bard.
