Gardening: How to mow your lawn & grow vegetable crops such as peas

In the Garden  

Making it to March is a significant achievement for us gardeners. Not only is it a reward for all those not so cinematic jobs of winter like clearing muddy beds or pruning apple trees in the rain but it signifies seven months of doing what human beings are really programmed to do. Uplifting conditions provoking the senses into producing more dopamine, noticing the exciting changing growth all around us will be the norm.  

In terms of maintenance the lawn can be mown more often now as temperatures increase. It will still grow above 9 degrees of warmth. Rake up any thatch (dead grass) and replace with sharp sand before shaking a fork deeply into the grass up and down the lawn at intervals of an old fashioned yard. Aerating in this way allows water, light and fertilisers to get into the roots easier. All this will help the grass and disrupt the weeds and moss. Make sure the lawn has dried out from all the rain we ve had first and in a few weeks you can add your fertiliser of choice. 

Tall grasses such as Miscanthus varieties can be separated now before it’s too late and parachuted into other parts of the garden or given away to those who have yet to discover the beauty of such things covered in frost and twinkling in the morning sun. 

Dogwood needs cutting back hard if it’s an established shrub now. If it’s still young or not in a great position you can do this every other year. ‘Midwinter Fire’ is a vibrant scarlet throughout the winter whilst its neighbouring plants are lacking in bright colour. Pruning it hard in this way ensures the pigment retains its deep red rather than being diluted to an insipid peach as the years go by. Other colours of dogwood need this help to maintain brightness through the winters too. 

As a reminder of all the idling hours of gentle relaxation you'll be enjoying basking in the sun you could give the garden furniture some TLC. 

On the Plot  

Sow double rows of broad beans outside this week. Walking along a scaffolding plank push the heavy beans into the soft earth about half a finger's depth. It’s that easy, and then like much of gardening, it’s about protecting them from hungry birds or mice who need to be redirected to the bird table or deterred by reusable netting once their first leaves unfurl from the seed. 

Place seedlings from trays into individual pots now and if you have a greenhouse get on and sow more veg for an early start and hope to achieve two crops of root vegetables like parsnips, carrots and beetroot. Cropping one in mid-summer while the second crop can be left in the ground for winter use. As long as you’re using the no dig method and topping up with mulch this should be relatively straightforward. 

First early varieties of peas and potatoes can be sown direct this week without being reckless. ‘Aaron Pilot’, Pentland Javelin’ and ‘Swift’ are all reliable varieties of seed potatoes to post in a trench now. 

Of the first early pea varieties, ‘Early Onward’, ‘Douce Provence’ and ‘Feltham’ will be ready with fat pods by May. Push them into the ground in a zigzag pattern and keep watered and protected from wildlife. If they haven't shown in a fortnight the mice will have had them so re-sow and place rodent proofing around them. Alternatively sow them in toilet roll inserts indoors and plant out when they are more established. Do both at the same time to eradicate all risk.  

We’re within touching distance of warmer, lighter days that will also be drier than recent deluges so we can make the most of our outside spaces with colour, shape and food for ourselves.