The Garden in March

March is a wonderful time of the year for me - The start of autumn and the thrilling thoughts of all the beautiful bulbs that will appear in the coming season.

Each year I sow many new seeds, often species I have not seen before, which requires planning. It is important to research a little about the species first. What conditions it grows in, whether it tolerates frost or cold and whether it likes moist dry or damp conditions. What insects like to feed on it? These are just a few of the possibilities you might think about.

My approach these days is to definitely grow all my new seed under cover for the first twelve months, providing them with light and air flow and of course plenty of water. One of the major killers of seed in the first season of growing is letting them dry out, not providing enough moisture for the little seeds to develop basically stress-free.

After the first season, I will consider putting some of each in different environments to see how they progress. Often there is no difference but often a marked difference will determine where they grow best.

One typical example is the species Haemanthus albiflos - the beautiful white flowering species that is one of my favorites.

They require a frost-free situation where the snails and insects won't destroy the leaves. A few seasons ago I had some of these out on my lawn when they were flowering. Such a beautiful sight! The neighbors and all my visitors loved them and they were a great talking point.

However, I didn't move them before the first frosts arrived and sure enough after three frosty days, the leaves turned to mush and all I was left with was a bare pot. What was underneath the soil, I wondered? What to do with them? Will I chuck them, or, will I put them under cover and see if they survive?

They did survive but it took a while to grow new leaves and these days they look healthy and strong. They have a permanent home now in a protected area I built for them where I can protect them in the winter months but still enjoy their lovely green leaves after they finish flowering. Snails decimated some I had left in another area so I have addressed this problem as well and they are well protected now.

On the other hand, there are species such as Chasmanthe (I grow all the varieties available,) which needs no protection at all and are one of my favorite garden plants. They really do look after themselves.

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