Your garden

Spring is finally here! The essential gardening jobs for March

The warmer and sunnier days during March provide the opportunity for an increasing range of gardening tasks. It’s a great time of the year as new life bursts forth and the garden begins to transform. Preparation of seed beds and borders should be well under the way this month as well as cutting back winter shrubs and generally tidying up the mess that the winter has left behind.

Whether you’re preparing for shrubs and bedding plants or sowing seed for vegetables. Once all the tidying is done you’ll be in a better position to plan the seasons planting. Sow seeds and plant onion sets, shallots and potatoes. As the soil begins to warm you can start to sow broad beans, salads and sweet peas. If bad weather is forecast, be sure to cover seedlings with clothes to protect them. March is also the time to plant out onion and shallot sets – cover with fleece or netting to protect from birds. Early varieties of potato such as ‘Rocket’ and ‘swift’ , can be planted. If they have been kept in a light and frost-free environments, they should be ‘chitting’ (a slight sprouting from seed potato). Chitting before planting can encourage earlier and heavier cropping.

Feed

As the warmer weather promotes fresh growth, a general garden fertiliser should be applied to help boost roots, green foliage and encourage more fruits and flowers from your plants. It can be applied around the base of plants by scattering straight from the box and left to be watered in the rain. Unfortunately, the warm weather will also see weeds start to grow as well. Weeding isn’t the most popular of jobs but its best to pull any that start to appear while they are young to prevent spreading.

Scarify the lawn

Do some lawn preparations before the growing season gets well under way. Choose a dry day and give the lawn a rake to remove the remnants of winter before cutting with the mower blades set at the highest position. Then aerate with a garden fork or aeration machine. This helps drainage and gets oxygen to the roots. Finally, apply a top dressing of spring lawn feed to add nutrients.

Plant of the Month: Pansy/Viola

Why Should you plant them?

One of the most popular bedding plants, pansies and violas are hardy annuals that have a stunning array of colours to choose from. Bringing the joy of spring to your garden during the colder months, they grow happily in borders or containers as well as providing great ground cover.

How should you plant them?

Plant them in moist, well-drained soil in a spot with good sunlight to encourage flowering. tough little plants that are extremely hardy, they prefer cooler temperatures and need watering regularly. They are also very versatile - plant them in beds, borders, containers and hanging baskets

HOROSCOPES

Aquarius Jan 20 - Feb 18

Clear communication would be a real asset to you at this time. There is something you have either put on the back burner or chosen to ignore but it is something you would be wiser to deal with at this time. Whatever is going on for you that is difficult, remember you have a lot of resilience and inner strength, and you will find the right way to deal with things. Keywords: Clear communication & Resilience

Pisces Feb 19 - Mar 20

You feel that something may not have been dealt with fairly, this could be a situation with a family member or someone close to you. Step back and try and see the situation from all sides and try to bring some change and balance back. Keywords: Fairness & Change Taurus Apr 20 - May 20

You could get one of those wonderful lightbulb moments, when something inspiring or enlightening suddenly makes sense. You may find the need to bring some harmony to a difficult situation. There could be some small but interesting changes that are coming your way. Keywords: Sudden Realisation & Changes

Gemini May 21 - June 20

Be careful in situations that could become volatile, especially in communication, try to be a listener as much as possible. Otherwise things could get into a bit of a tangle. Know that you can deal with and rise above a difficult situation. Keywords: Listen & Inner wisdom

Aries Mar 21 - Apr 19

If you are involved in meetings at this time they may not run as smoothly as you would like or not even happen at all. If the situation feels difficult remember to keep calm. You may also feel time for spring-cleaning, both on the physical and emotional levels. Keywords: Calm & Clearing Cancer June 21 - July 22

Relationships are a high point this month, as well as possible a small refresh in the home. If something is a bit hard going at the moment, you will find that you will have the strength and endurance to go through this relatively plain sailing Keywords: Opportunities & Relationships

Leo July 23 - Aug 22

If something isn’t moving as quickly as you would like, this could be a good time to sort and clear what needs doing. As this can make way for new things and ideas. Keywords: Clearing & New ideas and things Scorpio Oct 23 - Nov 21

This may not be one of the easiest times, as you feel as though you need to be on your guard. A situation would be worth stepping back from, and trying to see it from a different perspective. This month would be good for you to follow those instinctive feelings, and work with your intuition. Remember also you are a lot stronger than you think. Keywords: Protection & Intuition

Virgo Aug 23 - Sept 22

Balance and harmony are very important to you, somebody doesn’t always bring your sensitivity to the fore, as this will be an asset in this situation. You may also think of starting a new interest, that will involve collecting things or gathering information. Keywords: Sensitivity, connecting & Gathering

It does seem as though study is on your mind at present. You may find yourself either researching or seeking information regarding things of interests to you. You may also feel the need to clear things both emotionally and within your living spaces, as you feel there maybe new things on the way. There is possibly an issue that you will have to deal with later in the month. Keywords: Study & Clearing

Libra Sept 23 - Oct 22 Sagittarius Nov 22 - Dec 21

There is something you’ve been putting off that you need to sort out and this would be a good time to do so. You can do the same with some spring cleaning, both in your physical environment and possibly emotionally too. Once you have sorted a few things out it will give you the space to be able to carry on with some hobbies and a few relaxing things that you have not had time for. Keywords: Time and hobbies

Capricorn Dec 22 - Jan 19 Your social life won’t be busy this month. A few things look to change for you, so be prepared. Could be a time for reflection and from this some study or research or new interests or hobbies, may come from this. Keywords. Learning and changes

Forecasted by Marie Hayward

Disclaimer This zodiac is for entertainment purposes only please do not take the predictions seriously Marie take no responsibility for your actions