March Gardening Calendar for Marketa
Soil Preparation and Feeding (General)
Dig out the well-rotted compost from the left-hand heap and spread it onto the raised beds and field beds to improve soil health and increase worm activity. Adding organic matter such as garden compost helps improve soil structure and nutrient availability. See more about improving soil with organic matter in this guide:
https://gardenadvice.co.uk/gardening-how-to/grow-your-own/growing-your-own-vegetables-and-fruit-for-the-first-time/
Apply a light dressing of Growmore fertiliser to the borders (they were fed heavily last year, so only a light feed is needed). Growmore is a balanced general fertiliser commonly used in spring feeding programs.
https://gardenadvice.co.uk/growmore-fertiliser/
Alternatively, apply bone meal to the borders, using approximately a handful per 3 square metres.
For the raised beds, apply a top dressing now, which includes Growmore fertiliser (about a handful per square metre) and either 6X or Westland chicken pellets (roughly a handful per square metre). Apply these before rain or lightly fork them in to prevent tempting the dog. General feeding advice from the GardenAdvice team can be found here:
https://gardenadvice.co.uk/tomsgarden/now-is-the-time-to-feed-you-garden-plants/
Wisteria and Flower Beds
Give the wisteria a quick feed with liquid tomato feed to help with flower formation. Liquid feeds high in potash encourage flowering and fruiting growth.
https://gardenadvice.co.uk/gardening-how-to/garden-plants/how-to-apply-liquid-plant-food/
Apply a quick dressing of Growmore fertiliser to the lavender and other borders to maintain flowers.
To aid the blueberries which require slightly acidic soil, fork in iron sulphate powder to lower the soil pH.
https://gardenadvice.co.uk/gardening-how-to/garden-plants/growing-plants-on-alkaline-soil/
Vegetable Sowing and Planning
Sow sweet peas now to get them started. Early sowing indoors or on a windowsill gives plants time to develop strong roots before planting out.
https://gardenadvice.co.uk/gardening-tips/sweet-peas-from-seed/
Start early sowings (under cover) such as broad beans, onions, and early salads.
Sow early-season crops like lettuce, peas, radish, and carrots under cloches in the field bed where potatoes were grown last year (this soil should now be friable after last year’s cultivation).
Start melons, cucumbers, and other greenhouse crops indoors on a windowsill using Coco Coir compost, ready to move into the greenhouse in a few weeks.
It is also a good time to start a few chillies indoors.
Pest and Disease Management
Monitor for vine weevil and apply another treatment to the beds to keep them under control.
Check pheromone traps, particularly for plums and apples, and replace the paper inserts.
Crop Rotation
Finalize planning rotations and bed layouts.
Ensure crops are rotated this year, avoiding growing them in the same position as last year. For instance, grow salad crops where potatoes were last year.
Fruit Tree Management
Organise apple tree rootstocks to plan for grafting and budding later in the year, which will establish a new generation of trees.
Outstanding Tasks List
Vegetable Planning and Ordering
Finalise crop choices and seed orders.
Sort vegetable seeds and create a list from Gardner’s Kitchen for later sowing of melons and other warm-season vegetables.
Tim offered to produce a list of seeds and other items (such as asparagus and garlic cloves) based on last year’s information to facilitate an order to Moles Seeds and Gardeners Kitchen
Garden Maintenance & Improvement
- Apply another vine weevil treatment to beds.
- Replace paper inserts in pheromone traps for plums and apples.
- Dig out and spread well-rotted compost from the left-hand heap onto raised beds and field beds.
- Fork iron sulphate powder into the bluebell area.
- Organise apple tree rootstocks for grafting or budding later in the year.