Hobbies and Crafts

Well I grew up in Hampshire although not your part. I grew up in Fareham but I can surmise roughly where you are. Sorry I said Sussex, I knew it was Surrey.

Things to do in March

Make your beds

Make the most of the dry spells, or tarp soil to keep dry if the rain continues. Prepare vegetable beds by digging in compost or well-rotted manure. If you are planning to make a new area or to renovate a tired corner, remember the gift of well-prepared ground: new plantings will thank you for it.

Divide and rule

The bare-root planting season is drawing to a close and, although you can push it into early April, it is best to get plants in by the end of the month, as hair roots need to be making their way into the soil to support the top growth as soon as it's sprung. That said, it is the perfect time for planting bare-root strawberries and other soft fruit, and for dividing perennials that may need splitting. When you start to see a bald spot in the centre of the clump, lift the whole clump and tease apart with two forks placed back to back for leverage. Take only the strongest and healthiest divisions and consign the weakest to the compost heap. Containerised plants can go in any time, but they too will appreciate a grip on their position before top growth starts to accelerate.

Close in on weeds

If you haven't been tempted to do so already or you've been held back by the weather, wade into the beds to make the big clear-up. Work from boards to prevent compaction on heavy soil and use this as a chance to really get to know what's going on in the beds. Cut perennials close to the base to avoid jagged stems that will snare you later while weeding, and use this chance of getting in close to check for weeds.

This mulch I know

Mulch only on to clean ground, or you risk simply improving the quality of perennial weeds. Roses, soft fruit and perennials will benefit from a mulch of up to 5cm. It helps to hold in summer moisture and improves soil quality. Spread evenly over soil and up to the necks of the plants for a protective eiderdown to keep weed seeds in darkness and inactive.
Kindest cuts

If you haven't done so already, prune clematis, soft fruit, top fruit and hardy deciduous shrubs such as buddleia. Prune bush roses before mulching. Evergreens and Mediterranean shrubs such as rosemary should be left until the end of the month or early April, as a cold snap can set them back. Santolina can be cut to a tight knuckle late in the month to encourage new top growth but most evergreens resent being cut into old wood and should be pruned by no more than a third in any year.

Prune hedges hard

Elderly yew hedges can be renovated by judicious pruning. Cutting back all in one go is only successful if your hedge is in its prime and can take it. I prefer a more gradual approach, and March is the perfect month to prune hard – into old wood, to one side only. The top and the remaining side will "feed" the pruned wood, which will reclothe itself in the spring. Summer-cut the remaining hedge as usual but wait two years to cut the other side and the same again before cutting the top. Look after your hedges with feeding and mulching to encourage quicker regeneration.

Start to sow

Once the soil reaches 6C you can start to sow directly outside. Salad crops, rocket and broad beans can go in now with a cloche for protection, as can sweet peas. Chit seed potatoes and plant the first earlies. Line out shallot sets and onions. Cover rhubarb to make the most of the first new growth. The new spears are like the first cut of grass, marking the growing season ahead of us

Thanks for that, very helpful tips there. Hope all the gardeners are checking in. :-D

Your welcome.

Very useful Black Knight,, thank you.

Haven't seen you about lately.

Great news, my Forsythias are coming out !!!!! Always a good sign that Spring is well on its way.

Just need to get out and see what else is appearing.

M. :-)

Have just come back from a meeting of a garden society that we belong to. We had the Head Gardener of Sissinghurst talking to us about the garden there and plans to revitalise it. Fascinating evening and I came back full of enthusiasm, and then I looked out of the window at our tiny space and the ugly fence and the backs of other people's sheds and started to feel really deflated. But daughter gave me a garden voucher for my birthday so I think I shall get one or two nice plants to cheer me up and maybe a book on gardening in small spaces or designing for small gardens or something like that.

I am determined I am going to turn this horrible little patch into something to enjoy.

Often with small gardens that you see held up for inspiration, the answer is to take the garden 'up'. That is trellis on or next to the fence and plants up the trellis, hanging baskets on the trellis etc. and maybe if you have a spare bit of cash you could do something clever with a garden mirror.

Marigolds!

I bought a punnet of 8 plants, then put them into 2 hanging pots, 4 to a pot.

One pot is lovely, lots of flowers.

One pot is horrible! Two plants have died the two remaining are tiny & scrawny.

They were planted in the same potting mix, they hang in the same area, got the same food & water etc etc.

The nice one is in a plastic pot, the manky one is in a basket lined with coconut fibre (I always thought that was good stuff!).

No more coconut fibre for my plants!

:-(

Obviously not suitable for marigolds. :-)

Well, what a lovely few days for gardening. We went and ordered seventeen new fence panels on Saturday, to replace all those that we lost in the gales.Himself went very pale when he realised how much it was going to cost, there seems to be a shortage though and we have to wait another couple of weeks or so for them. In the meantime, our daughters dog is making it his mission in life to see how many times a day he can break out barking madly and then not be able to find his way back again.

I got out and did some cutting back and pruning and picking up of millions of little sticks and twigs that were littering the grass, patio and beds.

I also planted some more Summer bulbs, I chickened out a bit and got some new big pots to put the Tuberoses and Peruvian Daffodils in. I thought I could then place them in gaps if any appear. ( if they actually come up, that is ).

We stayed in Surrey and sent daughter to Somerset as we were having the dining room and baby's room replastered. Baby has a nasty chest cough as her room has been damp, should be better now and it seems the rain was coming down the chimney and leeching through ( on the ties ? ) so that has been sorted too.

Just the two rooms to decorate when the plaster is dry and the patio to re - lay, then the fences to sort out and with any luck the garden will be ready for the Summer enjoyment. Phew !

Oh and I forgot we have the conservatory roof to put back together.

My Daffs are well up, the Crocus are almost over and what is left of the Forsythia after last years over enthusiastic haircut by Himself, is looking lovely. It all looks very green and lush already. Lots of blossom out and three Magnolias in the road are out and beautiful.

Are you back with us now Ann ? I think I have got your cold.

M. :-)

Sorry about the cold Maryanna, hope you don't get the cough that was worse than the head cold. I am still coughing a bit. No we are still in Spain until next Tuesday, cloudy today here.

Aren't plants marvellous? A few years ago I was given three bulbs of a mini tulip called Heart's Desire. I had them in a pot, took them up every summer, wrapped and stored them indoors till replanting following autumn/winter. They increased and gave me a good potful. Last year with our house move they were forgotten and left in the shed. By the time I found them they were going rotten but I pulled off a few bulblets and quickly shoved them into a pot that already had a plant in it. Guess what? I have seven little sets of leaves coming through and one of them even has a flower bud growing. I'm really chuffed :-D

Aaah, Vera, they must like you.

I bought some at an open garden we visited in the Summer, they were 2p each, it's just a shame I don't remember what they were called or even what colour they were.

I do remember they were special to that house, either developed there or named after the house, anyway, I bought twenty of them and promptly forgot all about them.

Sometime after Christmas I found my two year old grand daughter playing with a brown paper bag and when I investigated found the bulbs inside.

As it was actually a day when it wasn't raining and I had a spare half an hour I dashed out and shoved them in wherever I could get to.

Having a wander round the garden earlier, I spotted all these random Tulip leaves dotted around the garden. It suddenly dawned on me that they were the ones I bought last year.

I am now waiting with baited breath to see what comes out.

Well, that's when I can breathe, that is.. Cold has been a real horrible one, with a nasty cough too.

Aren't the gardens looking wonderful at the moment, loads of Camelias out round here now, and no frosted petals, glorious.

Safe trip back tomorrow Ann.


M. :-)

Thank you Maryanna

Just in case I've managed to confuse anyone - I had a scatty moment. My little tulips are not Heart's Desire but are called Heart's Delight.

I hope your cough and cold are a bit easier now Maryanna.

Have a good journey back Ann. It's cold, windy and showery here today. Could you please bring a bit of sun back with you.

It was very cold and windy at Bristol airport. We got indoors at 6pm, no holdups all on time. But 10 degrees lower than where we were.

Just Googled them Vera, how sweet are they ?

I have been shopping in the £ shop again and have now bought some Rothschildiana Gloriosa, or Climbing Lilies, I think they have to be kept in the Conservatory, another one to watch !!

Glad you are home safe and sound Ann, it is certainly a lot colder here now than it was over the weekend.

My cold is improving, thank you, I just have managed to give it to everyone else, including the baby, who was just getting over her chesty cough. I hate to say it, but she sounds sooo cute with her croaky voice and looks so surprised when she says something. She seems fine in herself though and will soon be back in her own room once the repairs and decorating are finished.

Think I might give the grass a cut tomorrow if it stays dry overnight.

M.

Caring for birds

Garden birds do much more than look pretty. They are part of the food chain and act as vital predators in terms of insect pests. A flock of long tail tits will make short work of an aphid infestation and without the need for pesticides.

Make your garden a safe haven for birds and enjoy their delightful antics, with natural food such as berries and seeds are in short supply, supplement their diet with quality food that mimics their natural diet. Remember if you help the birds they will help you in the garden by getting rid of some infestations.

Good advice BK.

Many years ago on a gardening programme on the radio, a lady asked about getting rid of the greenfly on her roses. Various panel members gave their suggestions and then it came to Alan Titchmarsh's turn. He just said "Leave them. Let the bluetits clear them for you". I've done that ever since and even when the roses appear to be covered in greenfly, within just a few days they will be completely clear of aphids.

Yes good advice, thank you.

It was lovely to come home to a good show of daffodils and helebores. One surprise was that the Rosemary is in full bloom, I suppose the warm weather you had brought the flowers out, also the Aubretia is looking lovely this year. We do have to do a retrieval job in the conservatory though, our neighbours are very good watering where we request it and opening the door if it is hot, but, being cold and March when we went away, we didn't lower the blinds as we normally do, hence the fuchsias and geraniums in there overwintering are very dried out. I think they will survive with some TLC but I wish we had put the blinds down, should have known because there is usually some sort of heatwave when we go away. :-D