The month of March is finally here. It’s about now that we gardeners start getting cabin fever. Snowdrops have begun to peer through, and the scent of daphnes can be found in most gardens. Be careful what you sow though, as it is still too early for many seeds. Spend this time sowing your half-hardy annuals, starting indoors and planting outside only once the risk of frost has passed. Take this time to also tend to other tasks within your green spaces.
Cheers
The Distillery Garden Team
GIVE YOUR GARDEN A WELL-DESERVED CLEAN-UP:
The colder seasons have a way of leaving your gardens and raised beds looking a bit worse for wear; sticks and debris scattered, half-dead vegetation everywhere, a garden in need of a bit of grooming.
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Rake & Restore: Collect all leaf litter and add it to your compost or store it to use as mulch for when the heat of the summer hits. Rake up your beds and add unused old mulch to your compost pile. Spread a ½ inch layer of compost over your bare soil to replace any lost nutrients.
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Primp & Prune: This is the time to pull out any fall annuals that have dried out over the winter and add them to your compost pile. Tend to any perennials or ornamental grasses that were not cut back in the autumn season; cut down approx. 4 inches to prepare for new growth. Prune trees, shrubs, and vines to remove dead wood, controlling their size and enhance flowering.
WASTE NOT, WANT NOT:
Start growing plants from veg tops, pips, stones, and seeds saved from the food waste bin. Garlic cloves and onions that start to sprout will grow green tops when placed in water. It’s a bit early to sow most vegetables outside. Winter purslane or also known as Claytonia, and lamb’s lettuce are extremely hardy, so try sowing some in trays in a cold frame, polytunnel, or under fleece outside.
TLC FOR YOUR HOUSEPLANTS:
Indoor plants will start to show signs of growth again. Get them ready for their new growth by checking if they are pot bound: gently lift the plant from its container, tightly wound roots covering the surface indicates it will require a pot the next size up. Plants with shiny leaves will benefit from gentle cleaning with a damp rag. Don’t be afraid to compost any plants that look like they are not going to make it back from the brink of death and take this time to search for some new indoor plants to fill your home with greenery.
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