March
In The Fruit Garden This March
Cover strawberries with a cloche to encourage earlier fruiting.
Mulch fruit trees with well-rotted manure or garden compost. Take care not to mound mulch up around tree trunks.
Feed blueberry plants with ericaceous plant fertiliser.
Cut autumn-fruiting raspberry canes to the ground to stimulate new canes, which will fruit in the autumn. Cut the tips of summer-fruiting raspberry canes that have grown beyond the top of their support, cut just above a bud.
Protect the blossoms of apricots, peaches and nectarines from frost with a screen or horticultural fleece.
Top Tip:
Mulch rhubarb with a thick layer of well-rotted manure to keep it healthy and reduce moisture loss through the soil. Take care not to cover the crown, as this is where the growth happens.
This Month's Key Tips
- Remove weeds, thatch and moss from your lawn and improve drainage.
- Plant summer flowering bulbs.
- Protect new spring shoots from slugs.
- Hoe and mulch weeds to keep them under control early.
- Top dress containers with fresh compost.
