Top 10 Things to Do in the Garden in March
Summer is on the wane but there's still a lot to do in the garden during the magical month of March
As we head into autumn, edible gardens are full of bountiful goodness ready for harvest, followed by planting new crops of winter vegies. March is also a good time to gather seeds for next year’s summer vegies, as well as move shrubs, divide perennials and plant spring bulbs. It’s a busy time for gardeners before growth slows over winter.
2. Plant spinach
Popeye the Sailor made spinach famous last century in the iconic TV cartoon, but the Persians were eating it way before that, 2,000 years earlier, it is believed. Fast and easy-to-grow, versatile spinach can be eaten cooked or raw. It is highly nutritious and contains antioxidants that are believed to improve age-related disorders. Spinach also has high levels of vitamins A and K, folate, iron, manganese and magnesium.
Plant seedlings now before the weather cools down. Spinach can be grown in both cold and warm regions and is an ideal winter crop. Spinach seedlings need to be protected from frost but can generally be planted in warmer areas throughout winter.
Not a green thumb? Find a gardener or landscape contractor near you who can do the digging for you
Popeye the Sailor made spinach famous last century in the iconic TV cartoon, but the Persians were eating it way before that, 2,000 years earlier, it is believed. Fast and easy-to-grow, versatile spinach can be eaten cooked or raw. It is highly nutritious and contains antioxidants that are believed to improve age-related disorders. Spinach also has high levels of vitamins A and K, folate, iron, manganese and magnesium.
Plant seedlings now before the weather cools down. Spinach can be grown in both cold and warm regions and is an ideal winter crop. Spinach seedlings need to be protected from frost but can generally be planted in warmer areas throughout winter.
Not a green thumb? Find a gardener or landscape contractor near you who can do the digging for you
3. Feed dietes…
Dietes are a popular flowering perennial in many gardens right now but don’t make the mistake of thinking these easy-care plants need no TLC at all. A few sprinkles of sheep pellets will re-energise your dietes, as will dividing large clumps in autumn.
Dietes are a popular flowering perennial in many gardens right now but don’t make the mistake of thinking these easy-care plants need no TLC at all. A few sprinkles of sheep pellets will re-energise your dietes, as will dividing large clumps in autumn.
4. …And the bees
Make sure there’s plenty of food for bees and other pollinators during the colder months by planting autumn and winter flowerers such as Aloe, aster, Bergamot, calendula, camellia, chrysanthemum, dahlia, Grevillea (pictured), Helleborus, hibiscus, Liriope, marigold, penstemon, Poinsettia, red-hot pokers, rudbeckia, salvia, sunflower, Tibouchina, viburnum or zinnia.
Make sure there’s plenty of food for bees and other pollinators during the colder months by planting autumn and winter flowerers such as Aloe, aster, Bergamot, calendula, camellia, chrysanthemum, dahlia, Grevillea (pictured), Helleborus, hibiscus, Liriope, marigold, penstemon, Poinsettia, red-hot pokers, rudbeckia, salvia, sunflower, Tibouchina, viburnum or zinnia.
5. Keep on top of weeds
Get out the hoe or sharp knife and attack all the little weeds in your garden before they get too big and start to flower. If you’re too busy, try to at least cut off flowers, otherwise they will spread weed seeds all around the garden.
Get out the hoe or sharp knife and attack all the little weeds in your garden before they get too big and start to flower. If you’re too busy, try to at least cut off flowers, otherwise they will spread weed seeds all around the garden.
6. Gather seeds
Now is a good time to collect vegetable seeds for next season. Choose the best-cropping, healthiest plants from beans, peas, cucumbers, courgettes, tomatoes or pumpkins to harvest seeds. Don’t collect seeds in wet weather as they need to stay dry.
Tip: To gather tomato seeds, press the pulp of very ripe fruit through a sieve, rinse and dry on a paper towel for a week.
Now is a good time to collect vegetable seeds for next season. Choose the best-cropping, healthiest plants from beans, peas, cucumbers, courgettes, tomatoes or pumpkins to harvest seeds. Don’t collect seeds in wet weather as they need to stay dry.
Tip: To gather tomato seeds, press the pulp of very ripe fruit through a sieve, rinse and dry on a paper towel for a week.
7. Plant spring bulbs
Now is the time to plant spring bulbs such as Babiana, freesias, daffodils and Narcissus, Ixia, snowflakes, Spraxia and tulips. Make sure soil is fertile by adding well-rotted organic matter before planting. Add a general fertiliser (or you can buy a special bulb fertiliser) as well. The planting depth of the bulb is important; check the packet or estimate a depth that is roughly twice the width of the bulb.
Bulbs are wonderful planted in containers around the garden as they can be moved into sun or shade as required. Once flowering is over, they can be moved out of sight while foliage dies down – an essential process for bulbs as it allows them to build up food reserves for next year’s flowers.
Tip: If you plant a variety of different bulbs you can have flowers from late winter to early summer.
Browse container gardens to brighten up dull areas in your home
Now is the time to plant spring bulbs such as Babiana, freesias, daffodils and Narcissus, Ixia, snowflakes, Spraxia and tulips. Make sure soil is fertile by adding well-rotted organic matter before planting. Add a general fertiliser (or you can buy a special bulb fertiliser) as well. The planting depth of the bulb is important; check the packet or estimate a depth that is roughly twice the width of the bulb.
Bulbs are wonderful planted in containers around the garden as they can be moved into sun or shade as required. Once flowering is over, they can be moved out of sight while foliage dies down – an essential process for bulbs as it allows them to build up food reserves for next year’s flowers.
Tip: If you plant a variety of different bulbs you can have flowers from late winter to early summer.
Browse container gardens to brighten up dull areas in your home
8. Make compost
Crank up your compost so it will be ready to be used in spring. Compost autumn leaves and garden trimmings then grab a fork and give the whole pile a shake up to get things rotting.
Crank up your compost so it will be ready to be used in spring. Compost autumn leaves and garden trimmings then grab a fork and give the whole pile a shake up to get things rotting.
9. Shift shrubs
If you’re unhappy with the position of a shrub or tree in your garden, the best time to move it safely is at the end of summer or early autumn when the weather is cooler and the soil is not so dry. Remember to water newly transplanted greenery every day for a month until roots are established. If it’s still very dry in your area, wait until there’s more moisture in the soil before transplanting.
If you’re unhappy with the position of a shrub or tree in your garden, the best time to move it safely is at the end of summer or early autumn when the weather is cooler and the soil is not so dry. Remember to water newly transplanted greenery every day for a month until roots are established. If it’s still very dry in your area, wait until there’s more moisture in the soil before transplanting.
10. Divide perennials
Most perennials such as hosta, daylilies, Dietes, Helleborus and Heuchera can be become congested after three to five years, which drastically reduces the number of flowers they’ll produce. To re-energise them and give yourself more free plants for the garden, divide large clumps, taking pieces from the outside and discarding the centres. Give new plants a good water when you replant them.
Your turn
What keeps your green thumb busy during the month of March? Share your gardening tips in the Comments below, like this story and save your favourite images.
More
Before planting any edibles, read this first: Growing Vegetables? Here’s How to Check Lead Levels in Your Soil
Most perennials such as hosta, daylilies, Dietes, Helleborus and Heuchera can be become congested after three to five years, which drastically reduces the number of flowers they’ll produce. To re-energise them and give yourself more free plants for the garden, divide large clumps, taking pieces from the outside and discarding the centres. Give new plants a good water when you replant them.
Your turn
What keeps your green thumb busy during the month of March? Share your gardening tips in the Comments below, like this story and save your favourite images.
More
Before planting any edibles, read this first: Growing Vegetables? Here’s How to Check Lead Levels in Your Soil
March is harvest time, with many vegetables such as tomatoes, aubergine and capsicum, at their delicious best. When picking aubergine you want fruit that’s a good size, but remember not to leave it too long or they can become bitter and tough.
When their leafy tops turn yellow, you can harvest late-season potatoes. Make sure you remove all potato tubers from the ground when harvesting. If you leave small ones to sprout over winter they can cause diseases and attract pests next season. Sweet potatoes must be dug out carefully and ideally left in the sun for a few days to ensure maximum sweetness.
Tip: With most edible plants, the more often you harvest, the more they’ll produce new crops.