Whether you are completely new to gardening or a green thumb from way back, you'll find a lot of useful info here in our Gardening Advice section.

Start with our monthly gardening guide where you'll find seasonal tips for all the things you need to do this month, next month and beyond.

If you're looking for help on a specific topic, try the Gardening Information section and if you don't find what you're after please contact us. We're more than happy to help.

Garden Guide for March

March brings slightly cooler temperatures and moist soil. Now is the time to have a look at your garden and see what planting needs to be done.
  • Keep planting spring flowering bulbs this month - you can start to plant tulips plus all the other favourites, including daffodils, freesias, crocus, Lachenalia, hyacinths. More on Spring Bulbs.
  • Plant Hyacinth bulbs in pots or Hyacinth "Jars". Leave to grow outdoors - if you have them inside they will become leggy and soft. Once the bulbs start to flower in spring you can then bring them in to enjoy their colour and perfume in the house.
  • The flower garden can now be replanted with seedlings of Polyanthus, Primulas, Pansies, Stock and Calendula. Remember, good preparation is the key to success - dig soil over, add compost and general garden fertiliser before planting.
  • A handful of dried blood around your polyanthus seedlings will do wonders for them.
  • Sow Sweet Pea seeds directly into the ground - traditionally before St Patrick's Day on the 17th. Soak seeds overnight to soften their hard skin and speed up germination.
  • In cooler areas this is good time to lift and divide perennials, and replant fresh new pieces for next summer flowering.
  • Stop deadheading roses now and let hips develop for winter colour. Some rose food now will help new wood to harden before winter.
  • Freshen up pots and hanging baskets with potted colour pansies, violas, lobelia, and alyssum.

The Edible Garden

  • Some of the summer vege crops will be coming to an end this month. As they do, it is a perfect time to dig over the ground in preparation for new winter crops. Add in organic compost and follow with a dressing of garden lime. Do this several weeks before fertilising and planting new seedlings.
  • In colder areas if you still have tomatoes on the vine, it is best to pick them and let them ripen on a sunny windowsill. This will stop early frosts splitting them!
  • Once soil has been prepared, seedlings of cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, spinach and silverbeet can be planted out.
  • Carrot and parsnip seeds can be sown directly into the garden. For a succession of other crops, sow seeds of cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower and silverbeet in seed trays for planting out later in the season. See the Whanganui vegetable planting plan.
  • Any areas of the garden which are not going to have a winter crop can be sown with a green manure crop such as blue lupin or mustard. These crops can be dug in in early spring to provide structure and nutrients to the soil. More on green crops.
  • Feed Citrus plants this month - apply fertiliser out to the drip line of the tree and water in well afterwards. More on citrus.
  • Continue to feed the last of the summer veggies with liquid food to get the best out of the late harvest.
March