It is time to get busy preparing seed beds, sowing seeds, cutting back winter shrubs and generally tidying up around the garden. Hoe and mulch weeds to keep them under control. Pruning of wisterias will need to be completed this month.
Summer flowering clematis, late flowering shrubs (eg Buddleia and Perovskia) and winter flowering shrubs can be pruned now. Apply a general purpose fertiliser and mulch to beds and borders.
Overwintered dahlias can be kick started by potting them in free draining compost, when they start to produce new shoots, the first of these can be cut and potted to multiply your stock. Repot any overwintered fuchsia and geraniums and start watering them to encourage them into growth.
Lawns can be mown if they are growing, this first cut should be light, raising the blades. Turf can be laid now but leave seed sowing until April. A spring lawn weed and feed can be applied later on this month. Dig in any green manures, and apply well rotted manures Start planting early potatoes, shallots and onions.
Direct sow vegetables such as broad beans, carrots, lettuce, parsnips and peas when soil temperature reaches 5˚C. Prune gooseberries, red and white currants by removing dead wood, then spur prune all side shoots back to 1-3 buds. Shorten branch tips by ¼.
Leave a Reply