March comes with a sense of hope. The really hot days are behind us and the evenings are just a little bit cooler. Though it is still warm there is a definite change of gear.

Once the first rains hopefully come you will notice the garden will suddenly awaken. The lawn will have a sudden haze of green about it, plants will erupt with a flush of new growth and even a few autumn bulbs may suddenly appear in full bloom which you may have forgotten were even there.

If you have annual plants of marigolds, petunia, salvia and vinca, you may find them looking a bit tatty now. During March, nurseries will start to build up their stock of winter and spring annuals such as Pansy, Viola, Polyanthus, Poppy and Primula. Start to plan what will look good where and towards the end of the month get busy replanting. Remember to use fresh potting mix and keep up with the liquid fertiliser every two weeks.

Start to remove the plants in the veggie patch which have finished. It may be a little early to start planting but it is a great time to start preparing the soil. Work in compost and animal manure to build up the soil again.

If you have the space, plants some sweet peas. The fragrance is worth the wait until that most joyous and colourful display in spring.

If you have plants in the garden which might have been burnt in summer, now is a good time to lightly trim away the damaged areas and let your plants start to repair. If the soil isn’t moist, hold off fertilising. Perhaps just feed with seasol in your watering can to get the growth moving again.

A lot of perennials need to be cut right down after they finish flowering. Plants such as Penstemons, Salvia, Rudbeckia, Gaura, Arthropodiums and Asters need to be cut down to the ground. Most of these plants will show you when the right time to do this is by starting to put out new growth at ground level. Be heavy handed with the pruning and your plants will not only forgive you but reward you with a healthy flush of new growth.

Watch out for pests in the garden. Aphids will make an appearance seemingly overnight on your roses and often veggies now. Treat with Pyrethrum. White butterflies will start to be seen in the garden. Watch out for their caterpillars on your cabbage and cauliflower plants. Pick them off or spray with Dipel.

Prune your fruit trees once they have finished fruiting. Remove any wispy growth at the top of the tree and any growth which may be too condensed. This will let more light and air through the tree and improve health and reduce disease and pest attacks.