Take a deep breath as you step into your garden. You will find the sun is a little less harsh this month, a soothing breeze has arrived, and the leaves begin to dance.
That’s right welcome to March, and the start of Autumn. This is natural time for planting. As the leaves begin to fall, they create a natural mulch around the base of your plants preparing for the season to come. This season is one that can be enjoyed by all.
The Flower Garden
This time of year is perfect for planting spring-flowering bulbs, as the weather has started to cool and the winter frosts have yet to arrive.
Some gardeners prefer to plant early, others swear by waiting until just before winter hits. Earlier will encourage root growth and give your bulbs a longer germinating period. Whereas waiting can help towards disease resistance.
Prune back your roses if you are wanting an abundant Autumn showing of beautiful blooms.
Now is also the time for planting natives and advanced trees. If you are wanting some shade for next summer, then planting a shade tree now will give it plenty of time to establish.
If you have orchids then you should feed them, to encourage flower spikes and larger growing flowers.
New season’s Cyclamen, Primulas, Polyanthus, Violas, Dianthus and Pansies are beginning to arrive ready for autumn planting.
If you are looking to add some colour back into your garden, then we recommend trying these beautiful annuals:
- Alyssum
- Calendula
- Cineraria
- Cornflower
- Dianthus
- Nemesia
- Pansy
- Primula
- Snapdragon
- Virginian Stock
- Viola
- Sweet Pea
Sweet peas are colourful and very popular. Now is the time to sow. Most gardeners will use St Patricks Day (17th of March) as their annual date for sowing sweet peas.
Lawn Maintenance
Summer has finally past, save perhaps a few warmer days here and there so there is no better time to help your lawns recover from the stress of Summer. Add a fertiliser, look for one high in nitrogen to boost the colour and/or one high in potassium to encourage strong roots and help to fight back diseases.
Aerating or spiking your lawn is highly recommended to improve soil drainage as well as top dressing your lawn to stimulate new growth.
Add lime to lawn and garden beds but be sure to avoid acid-loving plants such as Azaleas, Rhododendrons, Pieris or Daphne.
The Edible Garden
You should still be harvesting summer fruits and vegetables as they mature, and you can begin preparing garden beds for new plantings. Add compost and mulch well. Also consider – crop rotation, to allow your soil to rejuvenate. Plant a Green Manure Crop for a season to give back some much-needed nutrients.
Be sure to watch for caterpillars attacking leafy crops in your veggie garden.
Feed your Citrus trees and continue to water them well, they will thank you for it.
