Sooke Garden To-do list: March – The Push Begins

It’s time to sow peas!

By Loretta Fritz

A March to-do list for gardeners in and around Sooke*

• Outdoors, sow peas, radishes, lettuce, spinach, arugula and other cold-hardy greens in prepared beds or containers. Thin seedlings as required.

• Start seeds indoors for early brassicas (e.g., broccoli, cabbage, kale) tomatoes, herbs and flowers that will be transplanted later into the garden.

• Continue dividing, moving and planting perennials as long as the ground is cool and moist.

• Feed fruit trees, berries, and shrubs.

• Clean up strawberry beds by removing old mulch, dead growth and runners, weeding thoroughly, and applying compost and a layer of fresh mulch/straw.

• Assess cold-damaged plants (including veggies) for regrowth potential and remove any dead parts.

• Prune early blooming trees and shrubs as soon as they finish flowering.

• Check overwintered dahlia tubers for signs of sprouting. Divide and pot up for later planting.

And, of course …

Continue to build compost with fruit and vegetable scraps, dried leaves and plant trimmings, seaweed, manure, and as wide a variety of other seed-free ingredients — both brown and green — as you can find. Remember, the compost feeds the soil, and the soil feeds the plants.

Remove weeds as soon as you see them. They deprive nearby plants of water and valuable nutrients.

Take steps to prevent pests and diseases from ruining your plants. Monitor plants vigilantly, keep tools and work areas clean, follow appropriate planting, growing and pruning techniques, and keep dead/diseased plant material out from under fruit trees and out of beds and containers. Companion planting, floating row covers, slug patrols, etc., can be helpful during the main growing season. 

Take time to relax and enjoy the beauty of your garden and the fruits of your labour!

* This list is for general reference only. The timing of many tasks will be affected by weather and related factors. Please be guided not only by local area conditions, but also by conditions within your own gardening microclimate.