Allotment & Gardening in March: Spring Awakens

UKSN
Mar 4
2 min read

March marks the true arrival of spring, with longer, warmer days bringing new life to gardens and allotments. While frost is still possible early in the month, the soil is beginning to warm, making it the perfect time to kickstart the growing season. Both indoor sowings and early outdoor plantings can now get underway, setting the stage for a productive year.

Allotment & Gardening in March: Spring Awakens Feature Image

Allotment Tasks to Tackle in March

March is a month of preparation and action. Key tasks include:

Seed sowing indoors: Start tender crops such as tomatoes, peppers, aubergines, and herbs like basil, parsley, and coriander. Early salad crops like lettuce, spinach, and rocket can also be started in trays or modules.
Early outdoor sowing: If the soil is workable and not waterlogged, sow peas, broad beans, early carrots, and radishes directly into the ground. This gives these crops a strong start before the main spring surge.
Soil preparation: Spread well-rotted manure or compost over beds to enrich the soil. Use dry days to rake and clear weeds or debris so that plots are ready for planting.
Pruning and tidying: Finish pruning dormant fruit trees and soft fruit bushes if needed. Clear any remaining dead plant material from winter crops.

What to Grow and Harvest

March is busy for both sowing and harvesting:

Planting outdoors: Early potatoes, onions, shallots, and garlic can be planted, along with hardy crops such as cabbage, kale, broccoli, and other brassicas. Spinach, peas, and broad beans can also go in if the soil is workable.
Greenhouse sowings: Continue with tender crops including tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and aubergines. Start early flowering seeds like sweet peas and pansies for colour later in spring.
Harvesting: Winter crops are still available, so you can pick leeks, parsnips, kale, and sprouts as space is made for new plantings.

March Growing Challenge: Start Your First Outdoor Sowing

Objective: Sow at least one outdoor crop this month.

How to do it:

Choose a hardy crop such as broad beans, peas, or early carrots.
Prepare a small patch of soil by removing weeds and adding compost or well-rotted manure.
Sow seeds according to the packet instructions and label them clearly.
Keep notes on soil conditions and germination to track progress.

Completing this challenge helps you transition from winter planning to active gardening and gives you an early taste of spring growth.

Final Thought

March is all about action and anticipation. By preparing soil, starting indoor seeds, sowing early outdoors, and tending to remaining winter crops, you set your garden or allotment up for success. A little work now ensures the rewards of a vibrant and productive spring season.

Here’s to a strong start to the growing year in March!