A Gardener's Guide to March

Planning and Planting for the Year Ahead

March marks the beginning of a new gardening season, filled with anticipation for warmer, drier weather. Now is the time to start thinking about how to inject some colour and personality into your garden. With the arrival of sunny daffodils and cheerful crocuses decorating our parks and gardens, it’s time to start thinking about summer flowers. 
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Let's take a look at planning the year ahead and what exciting planting opportunities March has to offer.

Planning for success

Thoughtful planning helps you to visualise what you want your garden to look like. Whether it’s carefully designed borders or easy maintenance containers, there are certain factors that will affect your planting decisions:

• Assess soil conditions to ensure that you have the necessary nutrients and drainage to create a thriving growing environment. 
• Evaluate the amount of sunlight and shade your garden receives throughout the day. 
• Decide if you are going to raise plants from seeds or source from a reliable nursery.
• Identify pruning and pest control requirements which may make a particular plant a no-go for your garden.
• Are they pet friendly? Our pets are curious by nature and at times may be tempted to lick or chew plants and trees. Summer plants like Foxglove and Lily of the Valley can be poisonous and may be best avoided.

March Planting Highlights

March is a good month to trim winter flowering heathers, remove weeds and start planting summer flowering bulbs. Think about different planting vessels, such as beds, pots or hanging baskets to create eye-catching flower displays at different eye levels.  For a touch of added colour, plant early season flowers like primroses, violas and pansies. If you would like to grow your own fruit and vegetables, start by planting blackcurrants, blueberries and rhubarb. As it is still quite chilly, make sure to protect blossoms from frosts.

Lawn care

Spring is a great time to begin lawn care and cultivate a healthy, lush lawn in time for those summer picnics and barbeques. Here’s a few pointers on how to get started:

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• Start off by giving your lawn some TLC. Rake your lawn, removing any debris, dead grass, and leaves that have accumulated over the winter. This helps improve air circulation and remove any organic matter that can block water and nutrients from reaching the soil.
  
  
• Spring is an ideal time to overseed your lawn, filling in thin or bare patches and improving turf density. Choose high-quality grass seed that is suitable for our UK climate and local soil type, and spread it evenly over the lawn. Water the newly seeded areas regularly to encourage germination and establishment.
  
  
• Consider applying a spring/summer lawn feed to established lawns. For best results apply the fertiliser at the recommended rate and use a third less fertiliser on grass in shady areas. Apply straight after mowing if possible and at least 3 days before the next cut. If it’s a dry period, wait until after a good downpour.
  
  
• If the weather is mild enough, and the lawn is showing signs of growth, give it the first light cut of the season.  Adjust your lawn mower blades to a higher setting in the spring to encourage deeper root growth and remove weeds. Only remove the top one-third of the grass blades with each mowing to avoid stressing the lawn. It is also a good idea to leave grass clippings on the lawn as mulch, returning  valuable nutrients to the soil.
  
  
• When watering your lawn, avoid watering during the hottest part of the day. During the summer, it is important to water more thoroughly but less frequently to help get the water down to the deeper roots. It is best to water your garden before drought really sets in, keep the soil moisture levels even and avoid the soil being continuously dry.

Ready to elevate your outdoor living experience? 

We hope that these tips and ideas have sparked your interest and you are excited about venturing out into the garden. At CJ Garden Service, we love nothing more than helping homeowners transform your garden into a vibrant and inviting space tailored to your needs. 

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If you need a hand rejuvenating your overgrown and untidy garden, we can provide a range of soft landscaping services including turfing, rotovating and border re-design. Whether you're looking to enhance your garden for personal enjoyment, boost property value for sale or rental purposes, or simply need expert assistance, our dedicated team is here to help.

Do you need help for the year ahead?

Once your garden has been planted, keeping on top it throughout the year can be demanding, with so many jobs from cutting, pruning, mowing and raking. Our licensed and experienced team is equipped to handle all your gardening needs. 

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Let us bring your garden vision to life and create a space you'll love to spend time in. Call Claire on 02380 632600 to discuss your gardening needs and receive a free, no obligation quote.

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Take the first step towards a beautiful and well-maintained garden.

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