In March you decide how well your garden will survive the summer. There are 4 specific things you can do now from March.

1. Transplant trees and shrubs now

Deciduous trees (i.e. species that lose their leaves in winter) are the first to put down new roots in early spring. The garden portal ‘My beautiful garden’ therefore refers to March as the last sensible time to transplant them.

Sensitive species such as witch hazel or magnolia often grow poorly if transplanted too late. More robust shrubs such as forsythia are more likely to cope with this – even after four to five years in the location. The older and larger the tree, the higher the risk that too many fine roots will be lost – in this case, replanting is often more successful than moving it.

How to proceed: Cut out as large a compact ball of soil as possible, immediately place the plant in a prepared planting hole at the same height as before and water thoroughly.

2. Plant or divide bamboo

Bamboo starts growing new shoots and roots after winter rest. In March the soil is usually moist and not yet hot – ideal conditions for it to grow in the new location. The distinction is important: clump-forming varieties (e.g. many Fargesia) remain comparatively compact, runner-forming species (e.g. many Phyllostachys) need a stable rhizome barrier, otherwise they will spread widely.

3. Sow grass cloves

If your garden or balcony is sunny, it is worth sowing carnations this month. To do this, place the Clove seeds into a pot with sowing soil and press the seeds lightly. Grassworts are light germinators, which means you don’t need to cover them with soil.

At temperatures above 20 °C and consistent humidity, they usually germinate after five to ten days. The first bloom is usually sparse. Plant the relatively new variety “Morning Star” you can look forward to lots of flowers in the first year. The actual abundance of flowers depends on the location and care.

4. Fertilize perennial beds

March is a particularly good time to fertilize your perennial beds for the first time. To do this, you should first cut back the plants and pull out the weeds so that the fertilizer does not end up with the “weeds”. Use At best, compost is used as fertilizer or organic long-term fertilizers.

Spread the compost two to three centimeters high over the bed and work it in carefully. Some heavy feeders such as tomatoes, cabbage, cucumbers or peppers should be fertilized again in June.