In The Fruit Garden This March

March is a pivotal month in the fruit garden 🍎 — buds are swelling, blossom is close, and what you do now sets up the whole season.

Here are your top practical March jobs:

✂️ 1. Finish Winter Pruning (Before Bud Burst)

Early March is your last chance to prune:

• Apples and pears (if not done earlier)

• Autumn-fruiting raspberries (cut all canes to ground level)

• Blackcurrants (remove some old wood at the base)

Avoid pruning stone fruits (plums, cherries) now — wait until summer to prevent silver leaf disease.

🌸 2. Protect Blossom from Late Frost

Early plums, apricots and pears can flower in March.

• Keep horticultural fleece ready.

• Cover trees overnight if frost is forecast.

• Remove fleece during the day for pollinators.

Frost-damaged blossom = reduced crop later.

🌱 3. Feed & Mulch Fruit Plants

Apply:

• Well-rotted manure or garden compost around trees and bushes.

• General-purpose fertiliser (or sulphate of potash for flowering/fruiting boost).

• Straw mulch around strawberries (but don’t bury crowns).

This helps retain moisture before summer dry spells.

🍓 4. Tidy & Refresh Strawberry Beds

• Remove old, dead leaves.

• Clear weeds.

• Replace tired plants (over 3 years old produce less).

• Prepare netting to protect from birds later.

🌿 5. Plant New Fruit Trees & Bushes (Early March Only)

If soil isn’t frozen or waterlogged, you can still plant:

• Bare-root apples and pears

• Raspberry canes

• Gooseberries and currants

Water in well and stake young trees firmly — March winds can rock roots loose.

🐝 6. Encourage Pollination

• Avoid spraying during blossom.

• Grow early flowers nearby (crocus, primrose).

• Consider insect hotels.

Good pollination = better fruit set.

🍏 7. Check Tree Ties & Supports

Winter gales loosen stakes and ties.

• Loosen tight ties before they cut into bark.

• Ensure trees are stable but not rigid.

🌧 8. Improve Drainage

Fruit hates sitting wet.

• Clear blocked drainage channels.

• Add organic matter to heavy clay.

• Raise strawberry beds slightly if waterlogged.