Lots to do in the garden!
The garden is really springing back to life now, and you’ll need to keep busy to keep on top of it and get stuck in to the new growing season.
But divide the jobs up into manageable chunks and it won’t seem so daunting. If the sun shines, pop out into the garden and tackle one new job before rewarding yourself with a nice cuppa and maybe a slice of cake!
Tackle these jobs over the next week:
Mow the lawn on dry days (if you need to)
Now’s the time to cut back Salix (willow) and Cornus (dogwood) that you have grown over winter for their colourful stems.
Weeds will start to appear regularly – keep on top of them before they take over
You can start to feed fish and turn on the pond fountain – and you can remove your pond heaters too
Open up conservatory and greenhouses doors, as well as greenhouse events when the days are warm
Start sowing and planting for summer displays
Sow hardy annual seeds in modules or pots – if you live in a mild area you can sow them straight outside. For a more natural look, broadcast sow in drifts or sow in irregular-shaped seedbeds.
You can also sow sweet peas outside this month. Any that you planted in autumn can now be placed in a sunny spot – a high shelf in the greenhouse where they can get lots of light maybe. Summer bedding seeds can also be sown under glass or in a heated propagator.
It’s also time to plant out herbaceous perennials such as Astrantia, Geranium, and Oriental poppies.
Getting the most from your dogwood, March 11 Harlow Carr
Dogwood
Tom White will show you how to spring prune your dogwoods (Cornus) in order to get the best displays from them. There are several techniques, such as hard stooling, renovation pruning and pruning on a three-year cycle. Tom will also demonstrate what to do with the prunings, including how to propagate from cuttings and making plant supports. He will also suggest some effective plant combinations, in order to help borders retain interest all year round.
10am-12noon. £25 for RHS members (£33 non-members). To book call
020 31765830 and quote booking ref: 11394
Shrub Pruning, March 13, Rosemoor
Jon Webster will guide you through the tricky task of pruning shrubs. In fact it’s not tricky at all when you know what you’re doing – and when you come away from this workshop you will feel confident enough to tackle your own garden. Jon will also cover pruning for a number of different plants, how to prune, tools to use and tricks and techniques. This workshop takes place outside, so please wear appropriate clothing.
11am-12.30pm £12 for RHS members (£22 for non-members). To book call 020 31765830 quoting booking ref: 11487
Listen to the latest RHS podcast
Listen to our latest podcast, where we offer seasonal information, you can hear tips on growing fruit and veg, and get up-to-the-minute help and advice.
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