March

Garden Tasks for March

• Remove any developing seed heads from daffodils and other spring bulbs. Leave the foliage to build up the bulbs for the following year.

• Divide congested clumps of herbaceous perennials.

• This is the last month when bare-root fruit trees and bushes can be planted.

• Cut back shrubs grown for their colourful winter stems, such as dogwoods (Cornus) and some willows (Salix cultivars). Cut down to their bases to encourage new shoots for next winter.

• Cut autumn-fruiting raspberry canes to the ground to stimulate new canes. Cut the tips of summer-fruiting raspberry canes that have grown too tall.

• Sow summer bedding and tender annuals in pots and trays.

• Sow sweet peas outside.

• Plant onion sets, shallots and early potatoes

• Re-pot houseplants that are root-bound and top dress large pots with new compost.

• If vine weevil is a problem in containers, apply nematode biocontrol (e.g. Defenders nemasys).