Jackie's Tips

                                                                                                                        

MONTH OF MARCH 2021

• Now is the time to protect new growth and shoots from slugs.  You can rake over the soil and remove fallen leaves to allow the birds to eat the exposed slug eggs. Use barriers such rough or sharp mulches and a wool product called slug gone can be effective, or slug traps.
• Plant onion sets, shallots and garlic, also plant early potatoes but protect from late frosts with fleece.
  
• Plant summer flowering bulbs like Alliums, Gladioli, Lilies, Nerines etc.                                                     

• Dahlia Tubers can now be started off in pots and kept inside a greenhouse, if you soak the tubers in tepid water for an hour to rehydrate them before planting. You can plant directly in the ground but best to leave until the frosts have finished.

• Clear any weeds that may be appearing in the garden to try and keep under control.              
• Roses can be pruned if this was not done in the Autumn.  Spray with Fungicide just as the roses are starting to shoot, this prevents diseases and insects before they get a hold on the rose.

• Sow tomato seeds in a protected greenhouse or on a kitchen windowsill. They can be sown directly into seed trays, or sowing into a cell tray makes it much easier to transplant when they ready.  The seed tray can be covered with a propagating lid to help keep moist.

•       Now is an ideal time to Mulch borders, make sure you have thoroughly weeded the bed and that it is moist. Mulching material can be leaf mould, compost, well-rotted manure or bark chippings. Always leave a gap around the stem of plants. This helps protect the plants and warms up the soil.       

•       Clean up and top dress containers and pots with compost and slow-release fertilizer.

    ·     As soon as they look untidy, deadhead daffodils by removing the flowerheads and seedpods behind them. Never cut the foliage away.

    ·   Now is a good time for planning. Walk around the garden, looking for potential problems and things that you would like to change.

• Now is a good time to plant lily of the Valley and also snowdrops that are growing, this is called ‘planting in in the green'.
• Now is a lovely time in the garden getting ready for the Warmer weather, enjoy.