What to Sow in March

We are now officially in meteorological spring in the UK and finally the seed packets that have been burning a hole in your seed box are ready to be unleashed.

It’s an amazing time of year – the daffodils are in full bloom, the days are getting longer and there is a real feeling of hope and anticipation in the air.

The tendency is to frenetically start sowing seeds left, right and sideways. However, my advice here is to practice a degree of restraint – yes we want to get planting, but we don’t want to get overwhelmed or swamped with seeds we can’t nurture properly.

In this blog we will look at a number of seeds you could start in March, and talk a little about soil prep ready for your young plants. I will link to earlier blogs for more planting information if you need it and will do a deeper dive into more plants over the coming weeks.

What you can sow indoors

* Plant by end of March beginning of April

The above list covers some of the basics but is by no means exhaustive. My best advice here is to ensure you always read the seed packet to check the best time to sow your seeds.

In terms of sowing seeds indoors, in a greenhouse or in a polytunnel we still need to be a bit careful with regard to temperatures. The days are certainly getting warmer, but the nights are still chilly and the weather particularly in the U.K. can change quite considerably come late March. Snow at Easter time is not unheard of, so use cloches and propagators for extra protection. In fact even indoors at this time of year I would use a clear plastic cover over seed trays and pots.

The process of planting is fairly simple: Fill a seed try or seed modules with seed or potting compost. I generally make sure the seed compost is moist prior to sowing as I’m always a bit concerned that I will dislodge the seeds with my watering can – I can be a bit heavy handed even with my tiny seed watering can 😊

Once your soil is dampened pop your seed on the surface and cover with a light smattering of soil and press down lightly. You firm them in lightly to make sure the seed has good contact with the soil. The general rule is don’t cover your seeds with soil more 2 or 3 times the width of the seed. You want them deep enough to be moist and dark – but not so deep that they run out of energy trying to break the soil surface. This is not an exact science, but generally if the seeds are small don’t bury them too deep. Remember to label your seeds! – trust me you will forget no matter how much you convince yourself you will remember what you’ve planted Labelling: simple but vital

Your seed packet will tell you roughly how long your seeds will take to germinate. Once your seeds are around 2 to 3 inches tall you can repot them into a slightly bigger pot until you, and the weather, are ready to pop them into their final growing spot.

If you are on a budget you might find this blog useful, it’s all about what alternatives you can use for seed trays, cloches or propagators Starting Seeds on a Budget: Simple Tips for Beginners

If you are looking for a recommendation for seed modules, I use Charles Dowding’s version – they are a bit more expensive but I’ve had mine for 5 years now and they are as good as the day I bought them Charles Dowding seed containers

Sow direct outdoors

Planting outside (planting direct) can be a bit hit and miss this time of year, but it’s still worth giving it a go. For example if you missed an autumn planting you get another opportunity to plant garlic – the bulbs may not be quite as large with a spring planting, but they will still be perfectly serviceable.

Soil Preparation.

Soil preparation is important and worth spending some time on as it will give your young plants a stable start and allow them to put down firm roots.

Make sure your planting area is clear of weeds and debris if you are planting in the ground you might want to give it a little rake just to break up any clumps. Add organic matter such as manure or compost – pop your young plant in the soil and cover the surface with a mulch (a good couple of inches or about 5 – 8 cm’s) to help retain water. For mulch you could use leaves, more compost, bark (fine broken down bark is always good) straw, or grass clippings.

I wouldn’t get too hung up with the thickness of your mulch – if you don’t have enough to put 5 – 8 cm’s worth, don’t worry. Even a small layer is better than nothing at all.

Obviously if you are planting seeds direct then don’t mulch until your plant is about 4 or 5 inches – 10 to 12 cm’s. Otherwise you will bury your seed too deep.

Try not to mulch up the stem of your lovely young plant. Too much mulch around the stem can create excessive moisture and leave your plant venerable to rot and disease. I will often pop my plants into the soil, then mulch the whole bed. After that, I go round and move the mulch away from each plant creating a little mulch free circle around each plant.

I garden in mostly raised beds as I find this easier, and it certainly means I have less weeding to do. The same principle as above applies when prepping your raised beds. However, raised beds generally hold water better than planting in the ground so you may not need quite so much mulch.

Final Thoughts

My best advice as the season gets going is not to panic. March, April and May are really busy times for veg growers, particularly if you are gardening on your own Tips for Successful Solo Vegetable Gardening . But you have time, we are still only in early spring, so plan out your seed sowing routine over the coming weeks and months. Gardening is a bit like the rest of life – little and often is often the answer. Sowing 5 tomato seeds this week and another 5 in two weeks time will mean you are not repotting dozens of plants at the same time and ensure you have a succession sowings.

Over the next few weeks I will do a deep dive into some of the plants I have mentioned in this blog. Hopefully this will give you a more in-depth information – planting depths, best growing conditions, what pests to look out for etc. So keep an eye on these pages or subscribe to the site so you get upcoming blogs direct to your inbox.

Let me know in the comments what fruit or veg you would like me to focus on over the coming weeks – and don’t forget to follow me on BlueSky, Pinterest and Instagram.

• Bluesky

• How to Grow Courgettes: A Simple Step-by-Step
• Growing Swiss Chard: A Beginner’s Guide
• What to Sow in March
• Essential Pantry Reset Tips
• Tips for Successful Solo Vegetable Gardening
• Starting Seeds on a Budget: Simple Tips for Beginners
• What Seeds To Start In February
• Herb Seeds to Sow Indoors in Late Winter
• Dehydrate Garlic This January: Save Flavour and Prevent Waste
• What Vegetable Seeds to Sow in Late January: A planting Guide for Beginners
• Build Your Own Dead Hedge: A Beginners Guide
• Vegetable Garden Planning for the Coming Year

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