What to plant in March: Getting your garden ready for summer
Now that the days are finally getting longer and the mercury is slowly rising and we are will into March, it’s time to break out the gardening gloves and start getting your garden ready for summer.
Whether you’re a vegetable gardener or prefer ornamental plants, spring is a crucial time for all seeds and seedlings, and the timing of your planting can make a huge difference to your green-fingered success.
So, to make sure that you don’t miss any important planting windows, here’s a quick rundown of what you should be planting this March.
Flowers
If you’re planning on growing flowers from seed, this is the perfect time to get them started indoors. As the weather can still take a turn for the worse, it’s best to keep your seeds in a greenhouse or on a windowsill until they’ve sprouted and grown. They can then be planted out in the garden once the risk of frost has gone.
March is also a good time to give your existing plants a bit of TLC. Divide any spreading clumps of perennials, sprinkle granular fertiliser around shrubs, hedges and roses, and transfer any evergreens or conifers that you want to relocate to their new site.
Vegetables
Growing fruit and veg is one of the best parts of independent living and is a healthy and economical way to stock up the fridge and lower those grocery bills.
In March, you can begin sowing your carrots, beetroot, leeks and broad beans straight into prepared soil. Though more delicate plants like broccoli, tomatoes, aubergines and cucumbers should be started off in the greenhouse first.
If you have any onion or garlic sets, strawberry plants, asparagus or rhubarb crowns, now is the time to get them planted outside so they’ll be ready for harvest time.
Herbs
Herbs are something that no kitchen garden should be without. If yours didn’t survive the winter, now’s the time to get planting some replacements. Most tough herbs like oregano and chives can be planted straight into the garden, but less hardy herbs like basil need to be started in the warmth of a greenhouse.
Growing your own flowers, fruit and veg can be incredibly satisfying. Not only will you be able to fill your fruit bowls, your garden will look fantastic throughout the spring and summer, giving you a great outside space to enjoy and some delicious natural offerings to enjoy when the harvest rolls around.
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