Winter and spring bedding plants tend to flower in phases depending on temperature. Play your part by keeping pansies, primulas and other plants regularly deadheaded. Pick off faded blooms to keep plants looking tidy and prevent them setting seed, which can reduce flowering performance
This is a good time to move shrubs or flowers to a new position if they have outgrown their site
In mild areas, clumps of perennials can be divided and healthy young outer portions replanted into freshly prepared soil
Early flowering bulbs come into their own this month. These include Dutch iris and alliums planted last autumn, but now is the time to plant up pots of anemones. Before planting, the dry tubers are best soaked for 24 hours to absorb water, during which time they will double in size. Plant in post for an early display, or plant outside later in March or early April
Tender plants, such as pelargoniums and fuchsias, must be kept at a temperature above about 4C. Check over plants once a week and remove any dead flowers or leaves that you find to reduce the risk of fungal diseases. If any shoots have started to rot, trim them back to healthy growth. Keep their compost almost dry and make sure that there is good air circulation around the plants – a fan heater is an easy way of doing this
Create a heated area of the greenhouse by using bubble polythene to partition off a small area of the greenhouse. This can be used for raising plants. Make the first sowings in a heated propagator of summer bedding plants that need a long growing season
A cold frame can provide extra winter protection for plants of borderline hardiness. Position the frames carefully, choosing a sheltered site in full light, so that they benefit from the warmth of the sun but aren’t blasted by cold winds. Open them on warm days to provide ventilation and prevent conditions getting too warm. Close up again at night and be prepared to cover the frame with an extra overcoat of insulation if conditions turn very cold
