Page 33 - Oundle Life March 2024

GROWING
GARDENS
March and Early Spring
Starting to see the blankets of snowdrops, clusters of aconites and clumps of native primroses giving a spatter of colour, is a welcome sight breaking the muted grey and brown palette of late winter. The long shadows of winter days become less spindly as the sun climbs higher in the sky, bringing with
dig up larger weeds and remove. The next job is mulching.
Mulching sounds like a mysterious old- fashioned gardening term, but what exactly is it? It is simply adding a layer of compost, woodchip, bark or a well rotten farm manure
it a little warmth waking nature from its hibernation. These first signs of spring encourage the gardeners too to wake from their winter dormancy with a list of jobs to get started.
Mulching sounds like a mysterious old-fashioned gardening term
over the top of your soil. Why should we do this? One reason is it can look nicer, but adding a minimum of 5cm
or 2 inches (but ideally 10 cm or 4 inches) helps in three other ways. It adds nutrients to the soil for healthier plants. It suppresses weeds by stopping light reaching their seeds, meaning they cannot germinate. Lastly it helps retain moisture so means less watering in the
Before rushing outside, eagerly
drawing up plans and getting
everything planted, let’s start with
what can seem like some boring basics.
Giving your soil a little attention early on will reap benefits further into the season. First, give your soil a dig over with a fork. This will add air to soil compacted by winter weather. You can
warmer months to come.
Plants looking their best at this time of year
include Ribes – or the Flowering Currant. It’s dangling clusters of white, pink or yellow
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