Spring is on its way. The snowdrops are open, and the bulbs are appearing as temperatures increase. Here are our top jobs in the garden for this month.
General jobs to do in the garden:
- Double check that frost protection is still in place and that structures are ready as wind increases.
- Cut back deciduous grasses left uncut over the winter, remove dead grass from evergreen grasses.
- Prune winter-flowering shrubs that have finished flowering.
- Put up nesting boxes for birds.
- Build a compost bin.
- Cut vines back to keep windows, gutters and roof tiles clear.
- Install/Maintain water butts ready to catch rainwater ready for summer.
Jobs to do in the flower garden:
- Divide bulbs such as snowdrops, so they don’t get overgrown. It is much better to do now than when taken root.
- Towards the end of the month prune summer-flowering Clematis before growth begins.
- Prune overwintered fuchsias back to one or two buds on each shoot.
- Check climbers are securely attached with plant ties to their supports.
- Remove any leaves with round brown spots on them, as this could be Hellebore Leaf Spot.
Jobs to do in the vegetable garden:
- Start sowing vegetable seeds such as onions & shallots undercover now.
- Chit Potato Tubers.
- Continue to harvest Parsnips, Brussels, Sprouting broccoli, Turnips and Leeks.
- Plant new rhubarb crowns now to force an early crop.
- Weed and fork in plenty of compost to vegetable beds ready for seeding.
Jobs to do in the fruit garden:
- Net fruit to keep birds off.
- Prune apple trees and pear trees while they’re still dormant. Leave plum trees, cherry trees and apricots until the summer as pruning these fruit trees now will make them susceptible to Silver Leaf disease.
- Protect blossom on apricots, nectarines and peaches.
- Prune Berry bushes to maintain productivity.
In the greenhouse:
- Invest in an electric propagator, this will help seeds germinate better.
- Soaking seeds in tepid water overnight before planting to increase germination.
- Do not sow too many seeds early in the season as low light levels can cause floppy or leggy plants.
What to do with the lawn:
- Keep clearing leaves off the lawn to let the light in and prevent dead patches appearing.
- Spike lawns with a garden fork to improve drainage and aeration especially if snows likely.
- Install lawn edging to make maintenance easier and keep the lawn neat and tidy.
