WITH Brits set to enjoy glorious sunshine in the next few days, many of us will be tempted to spruce up our gardens.
But now gardening whizz Alan Titchmarsh has urged people to wait a little to give their lawn the first trim of the year.
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Gardening expert Alan explained why you should only mow your grass at the end of April[/caption]
The TV presenter, who is known for his expert advice on making the most of your garden, explained why you should only do this at the end of April.
Alan said many gardeners make the mistake of mowing their lawns too early in spring.
Grass remains dormant during the colder months, and premature mowing can only weaken it.
Instead, he advised to allow your lawn to grow a little longer, giving roots time to strengthen.
When you do mow, set the blades higher to avoid cutting too short, as this can stress the grass and encourage the growth of pesky weeds.
Another simple way to promote lush, green lawn is by feeding your grass with a nitrogen-rich fertilizer in early spring.
As the weather warms up, Alan also emphasised the important of preparing your soil and encouraging healthy plant growth.
But how to achieve “the best grass”? It starts with very well drained soil, fellow whizz Monty Don recently revealed.
Look closely at the ground beneath your feet. If you see moss, it is a sign of poor drainage – which is only made worse if the area is a shady spot.
Find a garden fork and stick it in the ground, wiggle it about and repeat every six inches or so to aerate the soil.
Then, mix equal parts of topsoil, sharp sand and leaf mould or compost and spread it into the holes. This will not only help with drainage but also feed the grass.
Monty also recommended “giving the lawn a good scratch with a wire rake” to remove all the thatch and moss that grew over winter, as well as let the light and water get to the soil and roots.
You can gather the debris from raking and put it in your compost, before mowing.
Don’t worry if the grass looks bald for a few weeks, Monty’s method will guarantee it to “grow back thicker than ever”.
Why you shouldn’t use fizzy drinks as a weed killer
THE internet is full of gardening hacks – some incredibly useful, and others just downright stupid.
Fabulous’ Associate Editor and gardening enthusiast, Rebecca Miller, has shared her thoughts.
“The latest suggestion is to use fizzy drinks as a weed killer – but this will cause more harm than good.
Fizzy drinks contain acidic ingredients which, yes, will effectively kill weeds – but also any other plant it touches.
More importantly, it will impact your soil quality because of the artificial sugar content.
While this may not seem like a bad thing because plants need sugar to survive, the issue is, the sugar in fizzy drinks, is the wrong type of sugar plants need, and it cannot be absorbed by them.
Instead, the plant which has been covered in soda will pull water from the roots of surrounding plants, causing them all to become hydrated.
So yes, you might kill a weed or two, but you’ll also see a lot of your other plants and flowers dying.
To add to this, the microbes and underground critters that like the sugars found in fizzy drinks, are often not good for plants – and some of them can be actively harmful.
If you have pesky weeds, the old fashioned way is the best. Get a kitchen knife, a weed puller or brush and remove them by hand.
But remember – a weed is just a plant growing in a location you don’t want it to.”
Other gardening jobs to tackle in March
Prune roses
The first half of the month is a great time to prune shrubs or climbers that will flower on new growth – roses, clematis and buddleias for example.
When you see new shoots appear – follow the rule of always cutting back to something, be it a side shoot or leaf bud.
The reason for pruning is to encourage vigorous new growth that will in turn produce lots of flowers in the summer.
Plant Dhalia tubers
Looking for a gorgeous flower to impress visitors? Dhalias are the one for you.
If you haven’t grown them before, you can pot new tubers up in March so they can start to grow with some protection.
In a plastic pot or bucket with drainage holes, plant the tubers so they are just covered by peat-free compost.
Then, once the risk of frost has passed in a few months, you plant them out.
Keep feeding birds
Most birds are nesting and laying eggs this month – many will start rearing young.
Spring puts great demands on their energy when there is not much natural food around, so scatter some bird seed, or hand bird fat balls from a tree.
