As the days stretch out and the UK weather finally begins to shake off the winter chill, March becomes a powerhouse month for the garden. It’s the perfect window to balance indoor sowing with the first direct outdoor plantings.

Here is a breakdown of how to manage your March sowings:

Indoor Starts (Under Glass)

For plants that crave a long growing season or can’t handle a nip of frost, start these in a greenhouse or on a sunny windowsill:

• Heat-Lovers: Chillies and tomatoes need an early start now to ensure they ripen by late summer.
• Summer Colour: Sow half-hardy annuals like dahlias and zinnias, as well as various perennials.

Direct Sowing (Outdoors)

Some crops and flowers are rugged enough to go straight into the ground this month:

• Hardy Vegetables: It’s time to plant early potatoes and sow beetroot seeds directly into their final positions.
• Wildflowers: Hardy annuals like cornflowers and poppies thrive when sown directly.
  • Pro-tip: These actually prefer “poor” soil, so skip the fertilizer to get the best blooms.

Succession Planting

To avoid a “harvest glut” where everything arrives at once, use a staggered approach:

• Salads: Start sowing salad leaves now for a late spring harvest.
• The Long Game: Continue sowing small batches every few weeks to ensure a steady supply of fresh greens throughout the summer.

As winter fades, March offers a final opportunity to settle bare-root trees and blackcurrant canes into their permanent homes. The awakening soil is also increasingly hospitable to potted shrubs. To bridge the gap between spring and summer, consider adding Weigela; these early bloomers provide a spectacular flush of colour just as the season begins to peak.