March Gardening Activities

At Gravelmaster we welcome Spring with open arms. After all the cold and wet weather we have had we are certainly ready for some sunshine and warm weather. There are always gardening jobs to be done throughout all months of the year, however Spring is an extremely busy season and therefore we thought we would outline some major tasks for your gardening. This will hopefully ensure your gardening is productive and you reap the benefits of all your hard work in the Summer months.

Prepare your soil for planting:

It is finally the time to prepare your soil, first of all however you must establish if your soil is still wet. To do this squeeze some soil in your hand, if the soil forms into a ball in your hand and doesn’t crumble you should leave it as it is currently too wet. Once your soil is dry you should then look to add some compost to your soil. With early growing plants like strawberries and rhubarb you should lay the compost alongside these plants, this will ensure you don't disturb these early growers. We would also recommend getting your soil tested to check its PH level, this way you are able to see if your soil is healthy or if you require any additional fertiliser. At this point if you do require fertiliser you should add it now. This will give the soil some nutrients and prepare it nicely for the planting season ahead.

Sow your seed indoors:

For crops that flourish in Summer you should start these indoors within the next few weeks this includes tomatoes and other vegetables. Ideally these plants need to be in a greenhouse or indoors on a windowsill so they are getting plenty of light. You must monitor these carefully however as these plants can get too much sunlight which can ultimately harm them. You can also begin to plant vegetables like onions, garlic and shallots into individual plant pots. These will be ready to be transferred outside when the weather picks up. At this point you should also begin to prepare vegetable beds outdoors. Begin by removing all weeds from existing vegetable beds and prepare the soil. A good tip is to cover prepared beds with sheets to protect them, this will ensure when it does come to planting season the beds are fully prepared.

Transplant cool season crops:

Winter crops like broccoli and cauliflower can be transferred from indoors to outdoor vegetable patches. You should follow instructions on all vegetable seed packets, these will provide you with in depth information. Bring the seedlings outside on a warmish, sunny day if possible. Ideally you want to place these seedlings in an area that is shaded, this will allow them to adjust to the outdoors and all the elements like the wind and rain. Bring the seedlings indoors at night to protect them, this allows the plants to harden off. Once hardened off the seedlings should be ready for planting in the ground within 2 weeks.

Lawn Care:

Your lawn has been neglected for a few months so Spring is the time to give it some much needed care and attention. You should look to recut any lawn edges if they have become overgrown over Winter. You should choose a clear dry day to cut your lawn for the first time this season, ensure that your blades are higher than usual. New turf can be laid at this point, at Gravelmaster we stock only the highest quality Top Shot hardwearing turf. This is extremely easy to maintain and makes a fantastic family lawn. Read our article on how to lay turf correctly. If you would rather grow your lawn from seed now is the time to prepare the soil, this allows it time to rest before sowing. At Gravelmaster we stock quality lawn seed, perfect for a lush family lawn.

Plan your garden activities:

March is the perfect month for you to plan your garden activities. If you haven’t already considered this you should start planning where you would like your flower beds and vegetables patches to go. Now your garden is coming out of dormancy, this will also give you the opportunity to identify if you would like to be creative with your garden and perhaps design new beds/borders for your plants this season. This will allow you time to order your plants in readiness for warmer months. You may also wish to incorporate some decorative gravel into your garden beds/borders. You should order this now so that you are prepared, this way you can enjoy your beautiful garden for much longer during the summer months.

Many seed catalogues have now been released and therefore you can make sure you have beautiful displays in Summer. If you are extremely organised and already have your seeds we would recommend that you sort your seeds by sowing date. You could even make a calendar specifically for your sowing this way you will remain on top of all sowing activities.

Our final gardening job would have to be enjoying these few months. As your garden comes out of dormancy you will begin to see the grass becoming a little greener and we start to see the first blooming of beautiful flowers like snowdrops and daffodils. The sweet smell of spring is definitely in the air, if you ensure you complete all the gardening tasks you are setting yourself up for a very successful season.