J ust as with the vegetable garden, it all starts to kick off now! March and April see the first spring sowings of poppies, nasturtiums, cosmos, and many more - far too many to list! Amongst our favourite annuals here at the farm are Cornflowers, Verbenas and Larkspur and I sow these every year into modules in early March. Their slim stems can easily be fitted between plants in the perennial border allow- ing me to add depth and colour wherever it seems needed. Early March really is the last chance for dividing those per- ennial plants in the garden and if you haven’t done so already, seize the opportunity of get- ting a few more plants whilst rejuvenating the original before they get going on spring time growth. With the Snowdrop flowers coming to an end now is the time to also lift and di- vide them too for they like to be moved whilst “in the green”. Lift with a spade and then carefully divide the clumps and replant. A t the time of writing we are going through one of the coldest patches we have had in a long time, with the ground so frozen it feels more like concrete than soil. It will certainly take a while for the ground to warm up enough so we can begin sowing and planting in the garden, and yet despite the cold weather the birds seem to know that spring is almost here, and the frogs and toads will soon be spawning in our garden ponds. When we have lovely sunny days it is easy to forget just how cold it is at night and how cold the ground remains. So, the trick now is not to get too car - ried away and start sowing too early. Any plants that are sensi- tive to frosts need their sowing times planned carefully to make sure that they are a healthy size when the last frosts are gone, but that they are not so old that they become long and leggy, reaching for light on our win- dowsills. If in doubt, it’s better to wait a little while, as plants Make sure you give them plenty of water to settle them back in. Daffodils and Tulips will be close to flowering by March, whilst the green shoots of alli- ums will also be clearly visible above the soil. Be very careful when weeding beds not to dis - turb their bulbs/roots as they are very sensitive to distur- bance at this time of year and it may spoil your spring flowers. Once the bulbs have finished flowering avoid the temptation to trim off the dead leaves. Whilst they aren’t that beauti- ful to look at these dying leaves are providing the nutrients for next years flowers which will be lost by trimming them away. Once they start to yellow, you may wish to lift them from the soil, dry them out and store them in sand until next year when they can be replanted, but they will be fine left in the soil and will multiply for future years when left in this way. Spring cleaning for your lawn As the weather warms and dries the soil it may be time to mow your lawn. Don’t set blades too short at this time of year as the grass is only just starting to grow. If you have lots of moss in your lawn, use a scarifier or rake to remove it and possibly over-sow with more grass seed. You might want to consider allowing are - as of lawn to grow into a mead- ow area later in the summer and by not mowing many un- expected flowers can appear. If you have bare areas of soil, wild flower seed can be sown but it doesn’t like to compete with strong grass growth. An alternative method is to sow wildflower seed into modules to plant the plugs into the lawn once they have grown. News&Views 238 | March-April 2021 sown later often catch up with those sown very early anyway. The time to sow March is a good time to sow tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and aubergines if you are grow- ing them on in a greenhouse, but wait until April if your are growing varieties suitable to plant outside. If the weather is mild enough in mid-March, first early potatoes, shallots, onions and garlic sets can be planted out but avoid very wet or frozen ground. If you have some sheets of black plastic (or cardboard sheets) you can lay them down on the beds to warm the soil for a few weeks prior to planting out to help speed things up. By April things get really busy, Spring is flourishing and everything starts to burst with life but remember we can still get frosts well into May and even June. Keep an eye on the weather reports and cover more vulnerable plantings with fleece or light cotton sheets overnight to help protect them. 36 March/April in the flower garden What’s in your square? Tip! If you grow Willow, Cotinus and Dogwoods for their wonderful coloured bark now is the time to cut the stems right back to ground level to promote strong healthy growth and vibrant colour. We wish you a warm spring of new growth and hope! GARDENER’S DIARY Beautiful Bark Rachel and Simon Farr from Cae Rhug Holistic Farm guide us gently through the seasons in our gardens with tips for attracting wildlife, growing food and making the most of the flowers in your gardens... For those who are growing using the square foot gardening technique here are some quantities of plants you can choose to sow for your “square” this spring! There are lots of guides to spacings on-line if you search for them and remember you can choose to have as many squares as you like. 9 Beetroot 1 Broccoli 1 Brussel sprout 1 Cabbage 1 Cauliflower 9 Garlic 9 Leeks 16 Onions 8 Peas During the winter snails hibernate in dry corners, old plant pots and under protective sheets. Hunt them out now before they start laying eggs, to help keep numbers down. It won’t be long before they are out and about munching your new seedlings! March/April in the vegetable garden