Ah spring, such an exciting time of year! Daffodils are dancing in the wind and the tulips are not far behind.
There is colour and light in the days again. Our days are once again filled with opportunity.

So how do we use this time effectively? Here I will give you some of my top recommendations for making the most of your garden in March.

Lawn Care

One of the most important tasks and one I get asked the most questions about is lawn care.
With ground temperatures rising, this creates perfect damp conditions for moss to spread. Everyone's lawns will be filled with moss at this time of year and it is important to start treating now if you want a rich green lawn this Spring/Summer.
To get rid of moss fast and to green up your lawn, follow the Zero Lawn Care Solution to keep moss under control and feed the lawn after the cold Winter spell.

What is the Zero 2 Step Lawn Care Solution?

Step 1: Tackle the moss. Apply a dressing of Zero Lawn Moss. This will start to remove moss down to the roots overnight.

Step 2: Feed & Green. 24 hours after applying Zero Lawn Moss, apply Zero Lawn Feed to green your lawn for up to 3 months and further suppress moss.

Patio Moss

Moss is a problem on most patios, paths and driveways right now. After the Winter and damp weather our paths can be green and slippery with algae and moss.
Treat now with PAC - Patio moss and Algae Cleaner.

PAC is the hassle free alternative for cleaning hard surfaces, It's easy to use, fast acting and very effective in removing moss and algae quickly.
It's a biodegradable liquid concentrate for controlling green and red algae growth from hard surfaces including patios, tarmac, stone and brick paving, garden walls, timber decking, timber fencing and stone walkways.

Garden Colour

Now is the ideal time to plant some Spring colour to bloom for easter. Plants including Spring flowering pansies, violas, primroses, dwarf tulips & daffodils, double daisies and forget-me-nots can be planted now to give colour in window boxes.
Patio planters and borders for colour in March and April, right through St Patricks weekend and the Easter period. All the above plants are weather hardy and flower for 3 months.

Plant seasonal hardy herbs now to use for Easter Sunday roast. Now is the perfect time to plant kitchen herbs to use through spring and summer and especially during Easter. Hardy herbs especially like parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme, lemon balm, chives and mint.
Herbs can be planted in pots and window boxes or directly into the garden soil.

Key tip: start cutting the tips of newly planted herbs as soon as possible or as often as possible to encourage new growth throughout the summer period

Sow & Grow

Fruit

Blueberries are a super-food linked with numerous health and wellness benefits. Thankfully, they're also fun to grow and produce a fantastic crop of flavorsome juicy blue fruit.
They're also fantastic for adding vibrant and eye-catching colour to a garden. You can grow blueberries in pots and patio tubs.
When planting, use compost and whilst growing, feed the plants with plant food. Blueberries fruit over a long period, meaning you will enjoy regular fruits from June to September.

Pear and plum trees grow well and fruit reliably in Ireland. In order to achieve the best results, plant the trees now on a sunny, south facing wall or trellis.
Train your fruit trees to act as a wall cover, the protection from the wall will help to ripen the fruit and encourage strong growth. The best plum variety I grow is called the Victoria – a tasty, juicy fruit produced in abundance from mid July.

Rhubarb is an easy to grow and bountiful fruit. I recommend planting the Champagne variety now, which will be ready for consumption in early April to July.
When planting, add some compost and a handful of Osmo Pro 6 fertiliser.

Vegetables

Nothing beats the taste of homegrown, new potatoes. Eating those thin-skinned, balls of floury goodness is a highlight of the gardening year.
My favourite variety of potato is the Irish variety Colleen. They are easy to grow, blight resistant and packed full of flavour.
Start chitting your seed potatoes getting a good strong eye, and plant out in a pot or raised bed, for a crop of new potatoes come June.

Do you want a quick and easy way to grow some of your 5 a day? Then choose a selection of the Speedy Veg & Salad seeds from Suttons.
The Speedy Veg & Salad seeds offer you a range of edibles that can be harvested in as little as three weeks. If you have limited time, space or gardening skill then consider growing some micro-green seeds including micro broccoli, peas, cress and alfalfa.
They can be grown indoors on a warm windowsill, and will provide you with tasty, nutrient-dense, ‘fast food’.

Look After Your Wild Birds

In March, our garden birds seek out nesting locations to rear their young. Help your garden song birds by adding a nesting box to your garden this spring.
Erect your nesting box in a tree between north and east to avoid strong sunlight and wet winds. There is a broad selection of feeds and feeders in our wildlife section available at your local Horkans Garden Centres.

If you have questions or would like more information on gardening by month,
just contact your local store where one of our helpful and knowledgeable staff will be happy to help and answer any questions you may have.