It’s getting lighter earlier, the birds are already chirping enthusiastically in the morning, and the urge to start planting is really kicking in. March is spring month and we’ve all been waiting for this. The garden is slowly waking up, and we can already do a lot more in our favorite patches of soil. Time to get to work in the garden!
Pruning ornamental grasses in the garden
It’s best not to prune ornamental grasses too early. In winter, many ornamental grasses have a beautiful winter silhouette, and quite a few insects also hibernate in the plants: a real asset for your garden. Only from March do you want to cut them back to about 10 centimeters above the ground. You want to prune them before the new shoots are visible; otherwise, you’ll cut off the leaves, and that looks odd.You really need to make a distinction between non-evergreen and evergreen species.
By non-evergreen species we mean the ornamental grasses that turn brown in winter. The leaves wither and in spring they start to grow fresh and green again. Non-evergreen species are pruned only once a year: in March.
- Fountain grass or Pennisetum
- Finger grass or Panicum
- Miscanthus or Miscanthus
- Reed grass or Calamagrostis
Evergreen species generally do not need to be pruned. What you should do is comb the grasses: remove dead and damaged leaves as much as possible.Make sure to wear sturdy gloves, the leaves of ornamental grasses can be very sharp.
- Sedge or Carex
- Briza or Feather Grass
- Field Rush or Luzula
Garden tasks for the month of March
Summer-flowering bulbs can almost be planted. One of them is the dahlia: from mid-March they can be pre-sprouted. Plant them in a spacious pot with potting soil and make sure the tuber is not completely underground. Water them and wait for the first shoots to appear. Want to plant dahlias directly in the garden? Wait a little longer until the end of April and early May.
From mid-March, you can also start sowing tomatoes. Don't start too early: tomato plants can't handle the cold and shouldn't be put outside before the ice saints.
Most annual flowers can be sown now. Sow multiple times to extend the picking season, so there's always something blooming in the garden.
You can still move or divide perennials to propagate them. If a plant is at the perfect height in the border, now is the time to divide it. Dig up the plant, cut it in half with a sharp spade or shovel, and replant one clump back in the garden. You can give away the other clump or plant it somewhere else in the border.
Haven't added a layer of compost to the garden yet? Make sure to do that this month. The soil life will thank you.
March is the very last month to prune roses in the garden. If you trim away a few overgrown flower or leaf buds here and there now, it won't hurt at all. The plant will definitely produce extra buds anyway.
Some sowing tips
In March, a lot of flowers and vegetables can be sown.Due to the longer days, there's more light and the temperatures are slowly starting to rise. We’d like to share some sowing tips so you can get off to a great start in the garden. First and foremost, always read the information on the back of the seed packet. Is it a light or dark germinator? Light germinators should just be placed on the soil and not covered with a layer on top. If light germinators are covered with soil, they simply won’t germinate. Dark germinators, as you might guess, should be covered with soil. Our seed packets always indicate the sowing depth, so you can be completely sure how to sow the crop.Some beautiful flower varieties that can be sown in March:
- Phlox
- Cosmos
- Sunflower or Helianthus
- Sea Lavender or Limonium
- Zinnia
The vegetable garden in March
The vegetable garden wakes up slowly in March.Be aware of possible night frost, it can still freeze until the ice saints. Starting seeds should be done in the greenhouse or indoors in a warm and bright spot. Lettuce varieties, herbs, and broad beans can be sown now.
Early potatoes can be planted in the garden in March. This way, you'll have delicious early potatoes to harvest from July.
Due to the warm temperatures, some weeds are already starting to grow here and there in the garden.Remove it in time so that the vegetable beds stay neat. Don't leave the soil uncovered in the garden for too long. Lay down mulch as soon as the seedlings are big enough.
Check your vegetable garden plan. Are there varieties you still need to buy? Which varieties do you definitely want to plant in the garden? Check if crop rotation can be done in the garden. This way, the soil won't be depleted and diseases and pests will have less chance.
Learn more thanks to our videos
Did you know we also have a well-stocked YouTube channel? With over 450 videos, we have a large database of information. Be sure to check it out on YouTube and subscribe to stay updated on the latest videos.
In this video, Angelo teaches you how to propagate dahlias in pots. This way, you'll have flowers a bit faster and slugs will have less chance in the garden.
Insects in early spring
On a warm day, you can already see them buzzing around in the garden: the first bees and other insects. This early in spring, there isn't a ton of food available for these little pollinators, but you can definitely lend them a hand. This way, you provide the much-needed early source of nectar. Dahlias are beautiful, but not every variety is interesting for pollinators. For example, in the round-shaped varieties, they can't access the pollen because the heart of the flower is not accessible due to its shape. So look for a lovely variety with an open heart; the bees and bumblebees in your garden will thank you. Check the garden where there are still no early bulbs growing, think of crocuses and grape hyacinths, for example. Unfortunately, you can't plant those bulbs anymore, but you do know exactly where to place them in the fall. Luckily, you can buy potted plants at the moment. Perfect for filling a few pots and adding some color to the terrace or garden.
