Gardening in March
Greater Brisbane region
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The beginning of March can still be quite hot, but get ready for a busy few weeks once the weather cools down.
Not only will it be more pleasant to work outside then, but it will be time to plant a wide variety of cool-season vegetables, annual flowers and spring-flowering bulbs. Trees, shrubs and perennials planted in the mild autumn conditions of March will have time to establish before winter slows down growth.
The abundant rains we've had recently will have have deleted soils of nutrients, especially the more soluble ones. Plan to replenish the soil before autumn planting. Don't forget trace elements, whether you add them separately or as part of a complete fertiliser. (See also Plant nutrition and nutrient deficiencies.)
We don't know how long rainy times will last, so also give a thought to improving water penetration and retention in anticipation of drier months ahead. Tanks have become a familiar part of the backyard landscape in recent years, but the soil itself can be a form of water storage (balanced with the need for suitable drainage, of course).
Mail order (which includes online shopping these days) is a simple way to obtain unusual or old-fashioned vegetable and flower seeds, bulbs and other plants. If you haven't ordered already, get your orders in without delay for autumn planting.
Mail order can also be used to expand your rose collection if you don't have a specialist rose nursery nearby. Although bareroot roses are usually supplied in winter, get your order in early to avoid disappointment. Once stocks of a given variety are sold out, you'll probably have to wait until next year.
Cut back Pelargoniums (Geraniums). You might like to try striking some of the pieces to make new plants.
After flowering has finished, is an opportune time to shrubs like Buckinghamia and Murraya paniculata.
However, leave winter and spring flowering shrubs alone as they will be flowering soon or initiating their flower buds now. Examples are poinsettia, snowflake, camellias, Gordonia, and azaleas.
Vegetables
March is an excellent time for getting a wide range of veggies in the ground in SE Qld, allowing gardeners to make the most of the mild autumn conditions ahead. Try tomatoes, capsicums and eggplants; lettuce; radish; carrot, beetroot and silverbeet; beans, peas, cucumber and zucchini; cabbage, broccoli; turnip, onions, garlic.
Furthermore, if you want to try broad beans, parsnips or cauliflower, get them in now for winter. The window of opprtunity for these varieties in the Brisbane area is small as they really prefer require a cool to cold climate. Given the wide variety of other vegetables to choose from, you might choose not to risk disappointment and leave these these crops to our friends in chillier regions.
Time to plant strawberry runners.
See also: Vegetables, Seed raising.
Fruit Trees
Sorry, monthly notes for fruit haven't been produced yet.. In the meantime, you can try the main page dealing with this subject and check the links for the type of fruit tree you're interested in, here: Fruit Trees
The Flower Garden
March is the main month for sowing Annual Flowers for a spring display. This practice is not as popular these days as it once was, given the shortage of space, time and water we have to deal with. Nevertheless, it might be fun to try if you have some empty beds to fill (e.g. while waiting for shrubs to fill out a new garden). A packet of mixed spring flower garden seed can provide quite a variety for just a few dollars. You can save the seed of any that you particularly like or do particularly well for you and use these to fill empty spots or create seasonal container displays in the years to come.
Alternatively, try some annuals in containers to brighten up entranceways, patios etc, You can try seed, but if you only need a few plants, seedlings in punnets the local garden centre are fast and easy.
If you want to try sweet peas, wait until the end of the month or early April. Planting on St Patrick's Day (17th March), according to the old tradition, may be a little premature if conditions are still hot and wet. However, the the date nevertheless serves as a useful reminder to prepare a bed (add lime or dolomite if it hasn't been done recently), buy seed and prepare the trellis.
More: Annual Flowers and Bedding Plants, Seed raising
Garden shows, open gardens
Things really start to get going for the year in March when it comes to garden openings, shows, expos. Check the Events Diary and see if there's something on near you.
Looking ahead
You might be thinking about using the upcoming Easter break and the cooler weather to catch up on some jobs around the garden. To make the most of your time, prepare now. Get those tools clean and sharp, make sure there's line in the trimmer, and stock up on supplies. Here are some pages you might find useful: Garden Tools, Clothing, Boots, Gloves, Hats, Fertilisers, Soil Conditioners and Amendments, Mulches, Potting Mixes and Growing Media
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NB: These notes are under development. At present, the following applies to the greater Brisbane region only. It's hoped to develop these notes further in future updates, adding more details and eventually, more regions.
Naturally, this is a general guide only and will vary depending on local conditions, weather, plant variety etc.
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