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Grow Your Own - March Jobs
March in the garden is the time of year when you can first start to really get things growing for the year ahead. The weather can be quite unpredictable, but with care you can get the growing season of to a great start. It is the last chance to plant your bare root fruit trees and plant out strawberry runners.
What to Sow & Plant
Vegetables
Plant Out:
- Onions Sets
- Shallots Sets
- Garlic Sets
- Jerusalem Artichoke tubers
- Asparagus Crowns
Sow / Prepare
Potatoes: Chit early and maincrop potatoes
Sow Seed Outdoors (in mild areas with light soil)
- Broad Beans
- Carrots
- Parsnips
- Beetroot
- Onions
- Lettuces
- Radish
- Peas
- Spinach
- Summer Cabbage
- Salad Leaves
- Leeks
- Swiss Chard
- Kohl Rabi
- Turnip
- Summer Cauliflower
- NOTE only plant outside if conditions are suitable. Most can also be sown undercover except Carrots and Parsnips which need to be sown in the place they will grow
Sow Indoors
- Sweet Peppers
- Tomatoes
- Cucumbers
- Aubergines
- Celery
- Salads
- Globe Artichokes
Fruit
Bare Root Fruit Trees: It is the last chance to plant out bare rooted fruit trees. It is also the perfect time to plant out those grown in pots
Strawberry Runners: Plant out cold-stored strawberry runners
Alpine Strawberries: Sow alpine varieties of strawberries
What is ready to harvest in March?
Vegetables
- Broccoli (Sprouting)
- Brussel Sprouts
- Spring Cabbage
- Spring Cauliflower
- Chicory
- Jerusalem Artichoke
- Leeks
- Parsnips
- Salad Onions
- Winter Salads
Fruit
- Forced Rhubarb
Plants to Prune and Train
Fruit Trees: perform formative pruning of newly planted fruit tress if there is a period of dry weather.
Blueberries: Prune out old wood and crossing branches.
Blackberries and Hybrid Berries: Train into arches before the bus open
Grapes: Prune vines after late winter, before the sap starts to rise to avoid sap bleeding. If done to late it can cause the vines to become weakened or die
Garden Problems, Pests & Diseases
Mice: Ensure stored vegetables are protected
Slugs: Protect early sowings from slugs
Pigeons: Protect Brassicas from hungry pigeons
Fungus: Check for Grey Mould and Brassica Downy Mildew
Insects: take measures against aphids, but do not spray any plants in bloom
Weeds: Control weeds early and it will be easier throughout the year.
General care
Vegetables
Seedbeds: If you are using seedbeds, now is the itme to prepare them. Once ready cove with clear polythene or fleece to warm the soil prior to sowing.
Early Outdoor Sowings: Protect from frost damage with horticultural fleece or cloches.
Plant Feed: Feed those crops that have been standing all winter as they will start to grow again.
Chicory: Continue to force chicory
Peas: Put supports for new pea plants in place
Runner Beans: Get trenches and supports ready for later sowing and planting
Celery: Prepare Celery trenches
NOTE: AVOID DIGGING IN WET WEATHER AND AVOID STANDING ON WET SOIL TO MINIMISE COMPACTION.
Fruit
Frost Protection: If possible protect fruit blossom from the frost whilst allowing insects access for pollination. Or alternatively hand pollinate them
Feed: Give Nitrogen feed to plums, cherries, cooking apples, pears, and blackcurrants
Citrus Trees: Swap your citrus trees onto summer feed and increase watering as growth starts again.
Mulch:
- Put a good mulch on Raspberries, Blueberries, and Lingonberries. (DO NOT use Mushroom compost as it is too alkaline).
- Apply a mulch around fruit trees and bushes
- Add Sulphur Chips to Blueberries and Lingonberries if needed.
Re-Pot: Re-pot or top dress container grown fruit if needed.