It's Time to Get Busy in the Garden

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Advice from Fulham Palace Garden Centre on what to do during March

It finally begins to feel like spring has arrived as the days lengthen and become warmer. Plants that were dormant now begin to show signs of life and early spring flowers start to put on a real show.

Borders

Finish off pruning roses and pruning back late summer and autumn flowering clematis.

If not already done so, lift and divide snowdrops “in the green” when they have finished flowering.

Lightly fork over borders and remove any weeds taking care not to damage emerging bulbs.

Apply a general fertiliser such as fish, blood & bone, pelleted chicken manure or growmore to all plants.

Take the old flower heads off winter flowering heathers and trim the plants to shape.

Mulch any areas of garden not already done with well-rotted manure or compost.

Remove the faded flowers of bulbs.

Plant alpines for spring and early summer flowers.

Bedding Plants

Keep flowering plants looking their best by removing dead heads.

Fill in any gaps and replace tired looking plants with fresh new ones.

Containers

Remove and replace the top 5cm (2”) of compost from containers holding permanent plants such as trees and shrubs. Feed them with a general fertiliser such as fish, blood & bone, pelleted chicken manure or growmore.

Water any containers that may have dried out in the wind.

Lawns

Begin to lay new turf when there is no frost.

Prepare areas ready for sowing grass seed.

If cutting grass, set the mower at its highest setting and only mow when the grass is dry enough.

Fruit

Mulch raspberry canes with well rotted compost or manure.

Plant new fruit trees and bushes so their roots establish before the summer.

Spray Peaches and Nectarines to help control Peach leaf curl.

Feed all fruit bushes with a general fertiliser such as fish, blood & bone, pelleted chicken manure or growmore to help them grow away and form fruit after flowering.

The Vegetable Garden

Complete digging over vacant ground adding well-rotted manure or compost and a general purpose fertiliser such as fish, blood & bone pelleted chicken manure or growmore.

Plant early crop potatoes and shallots but only if the temperatures are normal.

Plant hardy herbs such as mint, sage and thyme.

The Greenhouse

Start to sow seeds of early vegetables.

Sow tender annuals in a heated propagator.

Watch out for fungal diseases and spray if necessary.

Keep greenhouse heaters working efficiently.

Ponds

Continue to protect ponds from freezing over completely.

Begin to feed fish if the weather is mild.

General Tasks

Continue to provide food and water for garden birds.

Fulham Palace Garden Centre is in Bishops Avenue, off Fulham Palace Road and is open monday to Saturday from 9.30am till 5pm and 10am till 4pm on Sunday.

The garden centre is supported by the Fairbridge Garden Society who help to raise the profile of the garden centre and create a sense of loyalty. Members organise a variety of trips and events throughout the year as well as raising money for The Prince's Trust Fairbridge programme.

All profits go the The Prince's Trust.

Contact the centre on 0207 736 2640 or email fpgc@princes-trust.org.uk.

March 14, 2014