March is the first month of spring at last as the garden starts to come alive after the winter.  Weatherwise it can be very tempremental with mild sunshine one day and hard frost the next.  March winds can be bitterly cold but they are needed to dry the soil out, but the longer spring days bring more chance of bright sunshine.  There is also the prospect of snow although heavy falls are not common.

*Propagation Indoors

Sow seeds for tender perennials and annuals (penstemon, cosmos, salvia and scabious)  

Sow Sweet peas

Root chrysanthemum cuttings

Root Fuschia cuttings

Root geranium cuttings

Start off begonia and gloxinia tubers

Sow Rudbekia seeds for colour to borders 

Sow petunia, fuschia, antirrhinium and verbena seeds for your summer baskets and pots

Sow Lettuce, Summer cabbage and Summer cauliflower

Sow peas, radishes, carrots, spinach and turnips

Sow globe artichokes

Sow Tomatoes

Sow aubergines and peppers

Harden off early sowings of vegetables (sown in late January or February) 

TIP: Seeds sown  in modular tray systems make spacing easier, save time in pricking out and produce strong sturdy plants with little or no disturbance when transplanting once the weather warms up.

*Planting out Outdoors

When sowing and planting outdoors remember that soil temperature is as important as air temperature.  Few seeds will germinate if the soil temperature is below 7°C(45°F).

Sow hardy annuals

Plant gladioli

Divide up perennials

Plant summer bulbs

Sow and plant sweet peas (In southern parts only)

Dead head daffodils

Plant snowdrops in the green (if not done last month)

Cannas can be started under cover for setting out in June

Plant shallots

Plant Horseradish

Sow lettuce, endive, radish,  spinach and turnips

Sow parsnips and beetroot

Plant early potatoes

Plant asparagus crowns

* Planting outdoors but give protection from frost

Plant strawberries (under cloches)

Sow Broad beans and early peas

TIP: Warm up soil by using cloches, tunnels or cold frames for early outdoor sowing especially with the early vegetables.

Remember you will need to prepare your flower beds in time for planting out all the seeds you have sown, so it would be a good time to tackle the weeds this month.

*In the Greenhouse

Check all the plants for signs of pests and diseases which often increase as the temperature rises. Increase  ventilation on warm days

  Please take note that the indications given above assume you will be using Rootrainers seed trays and or/plug plants produced in Rootrainers.  If you are using conventional seed trays, then the growth cycle is likely to be longer.