March is the month when a good gardener can lay the foundations for a colourful garden and productive fruit and vegetables but your main problem is the weather, it can be winter one day and then warm spring the next. However, this month the ground will start drying out so make the most of the good weather to make progress.
In The Garden
Lightly fork over open ground areas and if possible apply manure or rotted garden compost. Roses should be manured and if the ground is heavy clay apply lime at 2oz per square yard, it will open and make the soil easier to cultivate. Prepare to spring prune your roses at the end of the month.
Hardy annuals such as Calendula, Nasturtium, Aster and Stocks can be sown now.
If any shrubs, perennials and mixed borders have not had any fertiliser applied do it now e.g. blood, fish and bone at 2 to 3oz per square yard. This should be done at least once a year but preferably once now and once late spring/early summer.
If any shrubs or hedges require a hard cut back then now is an excellent time, particularly Lavender, rosemary and any winter interest dogwoods.
Fruit and Vegetables
Plant or divide rhubarb crowns, plant onion sets, shallots and early potatoes.
Prepare and sow early lettuce, broad beans, raddish and brussel sprouts.
If you have asparagus an application of grit sand over the crowns is very beneficial.
Prune red or blackcurrant bushes removing any thin or old branches. Gooseberry should be pruned carefully to clean out the bushes to stop crowding retaining all strong upright branching.
Plant strawberry plants mid month onwards in the ground or containers, fork around and mulch strawberry beds.
Lawns
Scarify with a spring rake removing any dead growth also iron sulphate can be applied to deter worms and kill moss. At the end of the month apply a first dressing of spring/summer fertiliser e.g. 20-10-10 at a rate of 1½oz to the square yard.
Check that your lawn mower works, has sharp blades and is serviced, don’t leave it until the grass is growing.