DJ Landscaping

The Gardening Year - Month by Month      Advice and Tips         Spring (March 21st - June 21st)

March - Advice:

March is the month that brings fair-weather gardeners out of hibernation. By now the early spring bulbs are flowering. prolifically and by the end of the month, in mild areas or after a favourable winter, the main spring-flowering shrubs such as forsythia will be in bloom.

Warmth can now be felt in the strengthening sun, and many seeds germinate readily if they are sown outside. Weed seedlings also germinate freely at this time, and plants such as nettles that die down to ground level in the autumn start to produce fresh new growth. It is impossible not to be aware suddenly that there are all kinds of jobs that need to be done in the garden. Fortunately the better weather makes most of these jobs a pleasure.                                                                                                                            Top

March - Jobs:

Feed seedlings before nutrients in the compost become exhausted.

• Mulch beds and borders while soil is moist to reduce watering and weeding later in the year.
• Sow seeds of summer bedding plants, annual climbers, herbs, sweet peas, tomatoes and many vegetables this month. Some seeds can be sown directly into open ground but most benefit from being started off in pots or trays with protection from bad weather and pests.
• Prick out seedlings before they become overcrowded, otherwise they will make poor plants.
• Thin hardy annuals and vegetables sown in the open ground before they become crowded and compete with each other for light and nutrients.
• Pot up or space out in seed trays in the greenhouse young bedding plants and tender perennials ordered by post as soon as possible after they arrive.
• Divide congested clumps of border perennials before they make a lot of new growth.
• Take hardwood cuttings of any shrubs you wish to propagate. Soon new growth will make this kind of cutting inappropriate.
• Take root cuttings; they are more likely to root if taken from dormant plants.
• Prune roses as soon as possible, ideally before this year's new growth is well developed.
• Complete planting of bare-root fruit trees and bushes and bare-root roses and other shrubs this month to give them time to establish before dry summer weather.
• Start spraying fruit such as apples and pears if you have had problems with pests and diseases in previous years. The timing for some sprays is critical and depends on the state of the buds or flowers to avoid harming bees and other beneficial insects.
• Be strict about pest control in the greenhouse. Warm March days under glass can encourage a population explosion of many greenhouse pests and early control is important.
• Remove the pool heater if you used one over the winter and replace it with the pump.  

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April - Advice:

For many gardeners April is their favourite month. Spring flowers are often at their best summer bedding plants are on sale, and plants in the herbaceous border seem to grow by the day. The longer days not only benefit the plants, they also provide opportunities for the gardener to work in and enjoy the gardener.

The rapid plant growth this month means it is one of the busiest months of the year in the garden. If you grow your own bedding plants, these may well need daily watering and feeding while they are still in their trays and pots. Many established plants in the borders also require attention: staking, tying in and sometimes pruning; while in the kitchen garden vegetable sowing is usually at its peak.The lawn now requires regular mowing, often twice a week if the grass is growing really strongly, and April is also a very busy time if you concentrate on growing any of the specialist plants such as chrysanthemums, dahlias, sweet peas, fuchsias or pelargoniums.                                                                                                     Top

April - Jobs:

Jobs that won't wait

Sow seeds of summer bedding, herbs, lilies, trees, shrubs and many vegetables this month. Some seeds may be sown directly into open ground but many benefit from being started off under glass.

• Prick out and pot up young seedlings and cuttings before they become overcrowded.
• Start hardening off bedding plants but put plants under cover if frost threatens.
• Control pests and diseases especially slugs and snails. Ventilate cold frames and greenhouses whenever possible. This encourages sturdy plat growth. Remove winter insulation from greenhouse and put on shading.
• Place supports in position around perennials that require staking. If the supports are put in position early, the plants will grow through them and hide them.
• Stop chrysanthemums as close as possible to the ideal date for the type you are growing.
• Plant hanging baskets and keep them in a greenhouse or frost-free conservatory or porch.
• Apply a general slow-release fertiliser to containers; applied as a surface dressing in spring it should last plants in containers the whole growing season.
• Start removing sideshoots and pinching out tendrils if growing sweet peas on the cordon system.
• feed shrubs, trees, new hedges and fruit bushes as necessary.
• Hard prune shrubs, such as buddleja, that produce their best show on vigorous new wood. Prune spring-flowering shrubs that are over three years old once they have finished flowering.
• Protect brassicas, such as cabbages and cauliflowers, with brassica collars against cabbage root fly, and erect plastic screens in the vegetable garden to deter carrot fly.
• Earth up early potatoes to protect them from light and frost.
• Begin mowing the lawn regularly. Frequent mowing encourages dense growth.
• Feed fish when they become active again after the winter.

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May - Advice:

May is a lovely time of the year. Signs of summer are everywhere, days are warmer and longer and more flowers are in bloom, adding colour and scent to the garden. Summer bedding plants are available from shops and garden centres and, if you have grown your own bedding plants, you will be anxious to get them planted outdoors - both to make space in the greenhouse and to reduce the amount of time you spend watering and feeding them.

You should, however, resist the temptation to plant out tender annuals during a spell of fine, summer weather at the beginning of the month. Be guided by past experience as to the likelihood of late frosts in your area. In favourable parts of the country, such as the south and south-west, it may be reasonable to take the risk and plant out at the beginning of the month. But even in those mild areas, the middle of the month is a safer choice. In cold regions wait until the end of the month or even delay planting out until the beginning of June. If you are in any doubt as to when to plant out, and you live in a town, be guided by the local parks - and plant out summer bedding when they do. They will be basing their timing on many years of local experience.

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May - Jobs:

Jobs that won't wait

Sow fast-maturing and late-flowering annuals, herbs and vegetables including parsnips, early carrots and runner beans.

• Harden off summer bedding plants and plant out. Check the weather forecast regularly and be prepared to provide temporary protection, with newspapers or horticultural fleece, if frost is forecast.
• thin out hardy annual, vegetable and other seedlings sown outdoors.
• Maintain a programme of weeding and checking for pests and diseases.
• Water and feed plants as necessary. Pay particular attention to seedlings, plants in containers and newly planted trees and shrubs.
• Take basal cuttings of border plants, such as lupins and delphinium, before they develop hollow or pithy stems, at which point it is too late for successful cuttings.
• Stake and support chrysanthemums except compact varieties and dwarf bedding. Stop incurved and large exhibition chrysanthemums this month.
• Prune spring-flowering clematis after flowering.
• Finish planting of permanent containers so plants have the summer to establish themselves.
• Pinch out the growing tips of bush fuschias while the plants are still small, and check all types of tender greenhouse cucumbers and tomatoes. Remove male flowers from cucumbers.
• Prune winter-flowering heathers. Any not pruned by the end of May should be left until next year.
• Plant onion sets as soon as possible.
• Earth up early and maincrop potatoes; protect foliage if frost is forecast.
• Cut lawns with naturalised bulbs growing in them. Keep mower blades high.

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June - Advice:

Early summer brings the first opportunity for the gardener to relax and enjoy the garden and all its beauty without the danger of a late frost. Most of the hard work of sowing, thinning, pricking out and planting will have been completed by the end of May. Although there are still plenty of routine jobs to be done over the next few months, it is now time to enjoy the sunshine, the flowers and long evenings.

At the beginning of June, leaves on trees and shrubs still look fresh. The dry, hot days of summer have not yet taken their toll, though prolonged fine weather can often transform gardens and countryside by the end of the month. Lawns, in particular, often start to fade and go brown and unless you water them copiously which may not always be possible, they will remain parched for the rest of the summer. This should not be a cause for particular concern as lawns recover very quickly when autumn rains arrive.

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June - Jobs:

Jobs that won't wait

Check regularly to see if plants need water. Hanging baskets and small containers may need watering every day.

• Maintain a programme of weeding and of pest and disease control.
• Sow seeds of fast-maturing annuals, spring flowering biennials, herbs and vegetables.
• Plant out summer bedding and other seedlings and cuttings. Protect from frost.
• Thin hardy annuals and vegetables sown in the open ground.
• Feed plants in borders if not already done.
• Deadhead flowers unless required for seed.
• Stop chrysanthemums as required.
• Disbud border carnations for larger blooms.
• Ensure the greenhouse and conservatory have adequate shading and ventilation.
• Cut back aubrieta and alyssum in the rock garden immediately after flowering.
• Put nets on the fruit cages over soft fruit. Harvest fruit and vegetable crops as they come into season.
• Complete planting of aquatics this month if you want a display this season.

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