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Spring will soon be arriving to London gardens, adding a burst of colour and new life to your outdoor space. Here are ten timely tips that will help you prepare for the changing season.
Make way for new growth
March gardening is all about preparing for new growth, through pruning, deadheading and cutting back where necessary.
1. Early flowering clematis can be pruned back once their flowers finish, as can roses to encourage new growth. For rhodedendron and jasmine, be sure to wait for a frost-free day.
2. Cut the old leaves off hellebores to remove any disease and allow for new growth.
3. Deadhead spring flowers such as daffodils only when their flowers finish, letting the foliage die away when the time comes.
4. Deadhead hydrangeas just before new growth appears.
5. Start weeding as and when they appear. Little but often will help keep on top of things early on in the year.
Fertilise those flowers
6. Feed your plants with a balanced fertiliser. In the case of trees and shrubs you may want to consider a slow release fertiliser, gently raked into the soil. Roses will need a mild and balanced option.
Compost and mulching
7. Mulch your flower borders and containers with compost to improve the soil structure. This will also help to retain moisture, which will benefit the plants as warmer weather arrives.
To find out more about our special offer on compost this month, click here.
Look after your lawn
8. As your lawn starts showing signs of new growth, it may be in need of a haircut. Avoid shocking it by cutting too short the first time around.
If you didn't get around to it during autumn, it's not too late to carry out lawn treatment. Scarifying will help remove dead thatch a moss, promoting strong, healthy grass growth.
Soft landscaping
9. Now's the time to put up any trellis, screening or fencing you've been planning, before climbers start to grow.
10. If you're considering re-turfing, this is the right moment for it. New turf should be left to settle for at least 3 weeks, so you'll want to leave plenty of time for roots to establish before everyone's outside enjoying the garden in spring.
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