March Gardening
Ewshot Gardener in association with Fleet and Church Crookham Garden Society (ccgsoc.org.uk) Spring is nature’s way of saying, ‘Let’s party!’ Robin Williams, celebrating the arrival of spring and the promise of warmer days
As I write the outside is cold and it is raining, again; sitting by the fire comes to mind, not sowing salad leaves! Maybe, a change from eating the winter vegetables will help me through this rather damp, dreary season. Here is a selection of salad leaves that can be sown now for early spring pickings, some are even cold-tolerant. Some of these can be used as ‘pick and come again’ that is pick leaves regularly to encourage growth.
Salad crops can be started off on warm window sills to avoid the need for heated propagators or greenhouses. All mustards can be sown from early to late spring and again in the autumn, avoiding the warmest months, at two-week intervals to provide continuous crop; the spicy mustard taste becoming stronger in flavour as the leaves grow. A green leaf variety is Green in the snow mustard, the serrated leaves are good steamed or eaten in a stir-fry. Watch out for the mid-summer sun which may cause the plant to go to flower. Red frills mustard produces dark red and green leaves with a strong mustard flavour. Three plants with red leaves, as the names imply, are ornamental as well as edible. Red ochre or mountain spinach’s slightly salty basal tasting leaves can be eaten in a salad or cooked like spinach. Sow now in green house or similar for planting out. Purple-leaf beetroot, sow in shallow drills outdoors from March until September. Sowing close together allows the sweet and tender thinnings to be eaten as leaves and allows space for the beets to mature. Red chard is a biennial leafy green with vibrant red stems and veins; eaten raw or cooked. Being cold tolerant can be sown directly into the garden into a well-drained fertile soil. These two happily self-seed – Winter purslane sow for spring harvest, broadcast the seeds or sow into shallow drill, the diamond shaped leaves give a creamy flavour and texture. Tree spinach, also known as the Barbie of salad leaves due to baby green plants frosted pink in the centre, is not a actual tree but does grow to a height of 1.8m. The young whole plants can be eaten as salad leaves or if left are good for cooking. Needing cooler temperatures to germinate, sown now undercover and plant out in April. For another colour try the curly yellow-white leaved Endive ‘pancaliera’, with pleasant bitter taste. Sow in modules in warm place, such as propagator, now for harvest in June/July.
March Gardening
Gradually our gardens are becoming more colourful – crocuses, golden daffodils, hellebores and by month end weather permitting jewel-coloured tulips. I can still find a few snowdrops but by the time you read this only the green leaves are showing. Apply mulch to a depth of 8-10cm (3-4inches) around the base of established and recently planted trees, climbers, roses, fruit trees, canes and bushes. The mulch can be your won home-made compost, pre packed compost. If using horse or cow manure ensure it is rotted. Leaf mulch is useful but supplies fewer nutrients. Remember to remove any pernicious weeds before laying down the mulch. The above averagely strong winds may have loosened supports and ties on climbers, wall shrubs and trellises. Replacing damaged or too tight supports and ties now before plants move into their growing season will avoid more work later.
Flowers and shrubs Snowdrops, now is a good time to divide congested clumps by lift by gently easing out of the ground with the leaves attached, ease apart and replant individual bulbs a few inches apart at the same depth as previously. Other herbaceous perennials can be divided in the same way. Other jobs are to start off tubers such as dahlias and take basal cuttings of delphiniums, dahlias and lupins. Find and put in place supports for herbaceous plants so they can grow through the support and not flop.
Prune roses, ornamental grasses and willow and the leafless long floppy shoots of an established wisteria need attention now by cutting back to two/three buds from the stem. This part pruning without any flower loss later in the year.
Seeds Although maybe an unwelcome sight germinating weeds signal that the soil is warming up and many seeds like hardy annuals can be sown directly into the soil where you would like them.
Sow, most half-hardy and hardy annuals and some perennials (e.g. echinaceas, dianthus and verbena) can be started now for a head start such as sweet peas,
Prune winter-flowering shrubs e.g. wisteria, that have finished flowering; ornamental vines, as some are prone to ‘bleeding’ or ooze sap if pruned later; perennials and grasses
Rough Grass and meadow areas As the temperatures rise and the soil warms up grass will grow. Time now to think about dusting off the lawn mower for a light high cut to encourage growth.
Fruit and Vegetables
Fruit trees If the inclement weather has stalled pruning of the fruit trees finish the work now.
Vegetables Now is the ideal time to start preparing a new vegetable area. The same warm soil signal from weeds applies with vegetables and allows some vegetables to be sown directly outside as soon as you see the weeds germinating AND the soil is well drained not water logged. As we know weeds are super-efficient at adaptation and so the second requirement may take more time. Covering with a cloche or mesh will tunnel provides some protection from the weather and pests. Examples are broad beans, carrots and parsnips. Peas, if the garden is not ready these can be sown in guttering for easy transplanting later.
Herbs, hardy herbs can be sown as seeds outside and less hardy ones can be started under glass or window sill now.
Potatoes, seed potatoes are available from mail order companies like Dobies or garden centres. Chitting now can encourage a slightly heavier and earlier crop. First earlies can be planted out in late March.
Rhubarb, botanically, a vegetable in the buckwheat family, related to sorrel and dock but often thought of a fruit due to its uses in pies and puddings. I prefer to leave mine to come through as and when but if you prefer thin tender sticks you can force the plant by covering with a terracotta forcer or upturned bucket lightly stuffed with dry straw – if you have any.
The CCFGS Trading Shed, Memorial Hall Sandy Lane. Open on Saturdays 10am to 11.30am selling garden sundries to members. Membership is £5.
Dobies offers members 50% discount on seeds and 20% discount on other products
Website: ccgsoc.co.uk Facebook: Church Crookham and Fleet Garden Society