Your March Gardening Checklist

Vegetable Tasks

This month presents an exciting opportunity to sow a variety of vegetables, especially in milder districts where the soil begins to warm up. Here are the key tasks for March:

Undercover Sowing:  If you have a greenhouse or cold frame, sow early varieties of cauliflower, broccoli, and celery. These plants thrive in controlled conditions, ensuring a successful start to the growing season.

Broad Beans: In milder districts, you can directly sow broad beans in the ground, while in colder areas, it's best to start them undercover for an early crop.

Onions & Leeks: If you haven’t already sown your onions and leeks, now is the time to get them started. These versatile vegetables are an essential addition to any allotment.

Horseradish & Seakale:: March is an excellent time to establish new beds for horseradish and seakale. You can plant new specimens or divide old ones to create new patches for growth.

Spinach: For a spring harvest, sow spinach in a sheltered spot or under cloches to protect it from any lingering cold snaps.

Carrots & Potatoes: Towards the end of the month, sow carrots under cloches, and plant early potatoes under cloches for an early harvest.

Greenhouse Care Tasks

For those with heated greenhouses, March is the perfect time to sow tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, melons, and aubergines. Keep seedlings close to the glass to prevent legginess, allowing them to grow sturdy and strong as the days grow longer.

If your greenhouse is unheated, be cautious with watering. Excess moisture can lead to fungal problems, so it’s best to water sparingly and allow for proper ventilation on warmer days.

Top Gardening Jobs for March

Prune Roses: If you haven’t pruned your bush and climbing roses yet, March is your last chance to do so. Pruning helps improve the health and longevity of your roses by removing dead or damaged growth and encouraging fresh new blooms.

Plant Onion Sets and Shallots: Onions and shallots are staple ingredients in many recipes. Plant them now to ensure you have a steady supply through the year.

Plant Summer-Flowering Bulbs: Gladioli, lilies, and Eucomis are great summer-flowering bulbs to plant in containers or borders. They are easy to grow and will add beautiful color to your garden when they bloom.

Lift and Divide Perennials: Overgrown clumps of perennials can be divided and replanted this month to ensure healthy growth for the upcoming season.

Mow the Lawn: If your lawn has dried out and the weather allows, give it a light mow. This will help tidy up any winter debris and stimulate new growth as spring approaches.

Support Bees: Dandelions are one of the first food sources for early bees. If possible, leave a few dandelions to bloom in your garden to help support these essential pollinators.

Start Dahlia Tubers: Start your dahlia tubers off in pots or trays filled with damp, peat-free compost. They’ll be ready for planting outdoors when the weather warms up.

Prune Buddleja: Prune Buddleja (butterfly bush) to a low framework of stems. This will encourage new growth and provide an abundance of blooms to attract butterflies in the summer.