March is a big seed sowing month depending on the weather. The soil should start to warm up a little bit, but don’t jump ahead of yourself. It’s always good to watch what is going on outside. If the weeds in your beds are sprouting, it might be a good time to start sowing vegetables out there as well.
Outdoors: Root crops including beetroot (early varieties), carrots, turnips and leafy vegetables like chard, spinach etc. can be sown outside depending on the weather and according to more specific growing suggestions of individual varieties. It’s also a good time to sow radishes, spring onions, peas, broad beans and more.
Under cover: Beetroot, Brussels sprouts, kohlrabi, cauliflower, summer cabbages, onions, lettuce, celery and celeriac. Tomatoes, chillies, peppers and aubergines can still be sown until mid March for undercover cropping.
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Asian Greens Seeds (7)
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Aster Seeds (1)
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Aubergine Seeds (2)
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Basil Seeds (6)
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Bee Mixture Seeds (1)
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Beetroot Seeds (6)
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Broad Bean Seeds (2)
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Cabbage Seeds (5)
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Calendula Seeds (3)
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California Poppy Seeds (2)
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Carrot Seeds (4)
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Cauliflower Seeds (1)
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Celery and Celeriac Seeds (2)
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Celery Leaf Seeds (1)
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Celosia Seeds (2)
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Chard Seeds (6)
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Chilli Seeds (10)
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Chives Seeds (1)
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Coriander Seeds (1)
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Cornflower Seeds (5)
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Cosmos Seeds (6)
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Cucumber Seeds (3)
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French Marigold Seeds (3)
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Helichrysum Seeds (5)
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Kale Seeds (7)
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Kohlrabi Seeds (2)
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Leek Seeds (4)
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Lettuce Seeds (19)
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Nasturtium Seeds (3)
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Nigella Seeds (6)
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Onion Seeds (6)
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Other Salad Leaves (8)
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Pea seeds (7)
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Pepper Seeds (3)
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Phacelia Seeds (1)
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Poppy Seeds (9)
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Radish Seeds (4)
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Rudbeckia Seeds (1)
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Spinach Seeds (2)
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Spring onion seeds (2)
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Sunflower Seeds (6)
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Swede Seeds (2)
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Sweet Pea Seeds (6)
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Tomato Seeds (15)
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Turnip Seeds (2)
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Viola Seeds (1)
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Zinnia Seeds (4)
March is in full swing and there are signs of spring to be seen all around. Crocuses, daffodils and nettle are beginning to make an appearance and the pointed leaves of wild garlic are beginning to show their green abudance in hedgerows and woodlands.
It’s easy to forget the importance that these first greens would have had in the diets of our ancestors – they were not just a relief from the less than fresh stored ingredients that had been sustaining them throughout the winter, but also sources of nourishment and medicine. This medicine was not just for the body either but also for the soul in showing promise of the coming of spring.
Here’s some ideas for jobs you can be doing in your garden/allotment this month:
– Keep sowing! March is a busy time for the propagation bench – check out our older post to give you inspiration on what to sow now
– Pricking out any seedlings into larger module trays / pots once they’ve developed the first cotyledons
– Sow hardy annual flowers such as nigella, phacelia, calendula, cornflowers and ammi
– Prepare vegetable beds by weeding thoroughly and spreading a layer of good quality compost
– Plant rhubarb or lift and divide exisiting plants
– Sow your tomato seeds, using a heated propagator or a warm, sunny windowsill
– Leave seeds and suet balls out for the birds, avoiding using bird tables