GARDENING TIPS FOR MARCH

Spring usually arrives by mid-March and the frequent sunny days provide the opportunity for an increasing range of gardening tasks. It's time to get busy preparing seed beds, sowing seed, cutting back winter shrubs and generally tidying up around the garden.

Top 10 jobs this month

1.      Plant shallots, onion sets and early potatoes

2.      Protect new spring shoots from slugs

3.      Plant summer-flowering bulbs

4.      Lift and divide overgrown clumps of perennials

5.      Top dress containers with fresh compost

6.      Mow the lawn on dry days (if needed)

7.      Cut back Cornus (dogwood) and Salix (willow) grown for colourful winter stems

8.      Weeds come back in to growth - deal with them before they get out of hand

9.      Start feeding fish and using the pond fountain; remove pond heaters

10.  Open the greenhouse or conservatory doors and vents on warm days

rhs.org. (2014). Spring arrives. Available: http://www.rhs.org.uk/Gardening/calendar/march. Last accessed 04.02.2014.