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MARCH
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Plant Seed Potatoes
March is the month for planting your early ( new ) potatoes . You don ’ t even need an allotment plot ; they grow well in bags or large pots and the best thing about them is that they are really easy to grow . One seed potato will produce lots of potatoes to harvest so plant them about 30cm apart and around 10-12cm deep . If planting in a bag or pot , leave some room towards the top so that you can earth them up later when the shoots are 15-20cm tall . Potatoes like rich soil , so dig in plenty of well-rotted manure beforehand and always keep them well watered in dry periods . The best results come if you take the time to ‘ chit ’ your seed potatoes . This allows them to grow large healthy shoots before planting . Simply place them in a tray somewhere cool , dry and light and they will form naturally over 3-6 weeks , then plant out when the shoots reach 1-2cm in size .
Daffodil Care
Daffodils are a great spring plant for the garden , growing well in the ground or in pots and containers . To keep them flowering strongly they need a little bit of care each year . They will benefit from a little general fertiliser in the spring and make sure any in pots are kept well watered and fed with high potassium feeds ( tomato feeds work well ) every few weeks as they grow . Once they have finished flowering , it is important to remove the faded flowers so that the plant spends time feeding the bulb ready for next year rather than setting seed . Always allow the leaves to die off naturally after flowering ; this usually takes about six weeks . If you cut them off too early the bulb will be weakened and will become less vigorous in future years .
Pruning Roses
It is your last chance to prune your roses for the new season ! Good pruning is essential for overall rose health . As a rule , light pruning will produce less vigorous growth while hard pruning will produce much stronger growth . Always prune to an outward facing bud to promote an open shape and take out stems that are rubbing others , especially if they are crossing over towards the middle of the plant . Remove small stubby stems that have dead wood on them from the winter months . Very thin stems are also worth removing as they rarely produce quality flowers ; nip them off and force growth into new healthy stems . If your rose has become leggy , a harder prune is a good idea to stimulate lots of fresh new growth through the spring months .
Slugs and Snails
March often sees a lot more slug activity in the garden , so it is a good idea to think about protecting vulnerable plants such as hostas . There are a number of ways to limit and control slug damage in the garden . Physical barriers such as crushed sea shells , coarse grit and coarse sand are all effective and will make a huge difference
to your plants . Feeding the birds regularly in the garden is also very effective as they will happily feed on slugs and snails when visiting , as will hedgehogs , toads and frogs ! Encouraging lots of wildlife into your garden is a great way to keep pests under control . Lastly , if you know you have plants that are susceptible to attack , it is worth manually checking the area late at night and first thing in the morning to remove any slugs that you find .
Summer Flowering Bulbs
March is the great month to plant summer flowering bulbs such as dahlia , gladioli and begonia . Always plant bulbs at three times their depth and in groups of at least six . More is always better and creates a more impressive show . Always water in thoroughly to remove any air pockets and feed with a high potassium feed through the growing season for the best results . Most summer flowering bulbs will require a warm and sunny spot in the garden and prefer well drained soil , so the addition of some grit sand when planting is a good idea . If planting in pots , incorporate some grit into the planting mixture to aid drainage .
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