March is a fantastic time to get your garden in shape for the cooler months ahead. With National Water Week taking place this month, it’s also the perfect opportunity to focus on water conservation while keeping your garden lush and thriving.  

Here’s what you can do in your garden this March: 

Spotlight on: Plectranthus

Looking for a hardy, beautiful plant to add to your garden? Consider Plectranthus! This indigenous plant is known for its lush foliage and soft purple, mauve, or lilac flowers.

There are six varieties, ranging from groundcovers to shrubs, making it a versatile choice for any garden. 

Image: Unsplash

Growing tips:

Plant under trees or in shaded areas for best results. 

Once established, they’re drought-tolerant, so planting them in autumn helps them benefit from winter rains. 

They thrive in both garden beds and pots. 

Prune once a year and remove spent flowers to keep them looking fresh. 

Plant and sow:

Get your fynbos garden started! Plant Buchu, Ericas, Pincushions, Proteas, and Restios after the first rainfall. 

Start cool-season vegetables like beetroot, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, leeks, onions, spinach, and Swiss chard—perfect for hearty winter meals. 

Add leafy herbs to your garden, such as basil, chicory, chives, dill, parsley, rocket, and sorrel. 

Sow or plant winter-flowering annuals like asters, calendula, cornflowers, dianthus, foxgloves, larkspurs, lupins, nasturtiums, nemesias, pansies, poppies, snapdragons, stocks, and violas. 

Feed:

  • Wait for the first autumn rain, then apply a balanced fertiliser to the entire garden. 
  • Feed citrus trees with a 3:1:5 fertiliser to support fruit development. 
  • Give roses a boost by deadheading and feeding them with rose-specific fertiliser to encourage another round of blooms. 

Mulch:

  • Apply mulch to keep the soil warm and retain moisture. 
  • Spread mulch around flower beds, trees, and shrubs to reduce water loss and suppress weeds. 
  • Add a layer of mulch around newly sprouted plants to help them establish strong roots. 

Tidy up:

  • Prune summer-flowering plants like daisies, lavender, pelargoniums, salvia, and heliotrope. 
  • Trim evergreen trees, except those that will flower or fruit in spring. 
  • Refresh tired-looking areas by adding rock gardens or decorative gravel. 

Image: Pexels

Water-smart gardening tips 

In celebration of National Water Week, consider these simple ways to make your garden more water-efficient: 

Go waterwise: Choose indigenous, drought-tolerant plants that require less frequent watering. 

Time your watering: Water early in the morning or late in the evening to reduce evaporation. 

Try container gardening: Pots lose less water through evaporation, making them a smart choice for water-conscious gardeners. 

March garden to-do's

Image: Pexels

Reuse greywater: Collect water from your bath, shower, or washing machine for use in the garden—but make sure to use eco-friendly detergents. 

Harvest rainwater: Install a rainwater tank or use rain barrels to collect water for later use. Rainwater is free of chemicals and ideal for plants. 

With a little planning, your March gardening efforts will set the stage for a flourishing Autumn garden.  

ALSO SEE: Plant Plectranthus in March

Plant Plectranthus in March

Image: Unsplash