Spring is very definitely on it’s way! Daffodils are peeking up through the grass, and we’re even seeing the odd sunny day. This month is all about getting a head start, so read on to learn what to do in the vegetable garden in March.
Organising
- Sort any seeds by sowing date. Do this month by month so you can easily keep track.
- Consider starting a gardening diary. You can use this to keep track of which seeds/plugs you’re planting and when. It’s also a great space to plan out your garden and jot down any ideas or inspiration.
Preparing
- If you’re unsure what type of soil you have, consider investing in a soil testing kit. This will enable you to choose the right plants for your vegetable garden.
- Bring bags of compost into the greenhouse. This is to warm them up for a week or two before you begin sowing.
- Start fertilising your beds. To do so, add a 5-7cm or more layer of compost (or well-rotted manure) into the beds.
- Add supports. If any of your plants will need supports this year, now is a good time to put them in. This is so that any plants can grow up around/through them.
- Weed any vegetable beds now to prepare for the growing season.
- Top up any raised beds with good quality topsoil and compost.
- Speaking of compost – check your compost bins to see if there is any ready to use.
- Clean out any watering cans to prevent fungal disease.
Growing
- Protect any spring shoot from slugs – sheeps wool is a great organic way of doing this.
- Plant early potatoes.
- Plant shallots and onion sets.
In the Container Garden
- Check your containers to ensure the soil hasn’t dried out.
- Now is a good time to top dress any containers with fresh compost.
- Plant chillies and place on a windowsill.
- You can also start to plant tomatoes, choose a bush, tumbling or cordon cherry variety instead of a larger one, which matures later in the year.
- Plant peppers. They need warmth and sunlight so will do well in a greenhouse. Choose a compact and early fruiting variety. Sweet ‘Marconi Rosso’ is a good variety for this.
Another Important Job…
Vegetable Garden in March – To Conclude
Now is the time of year to get preparing! As the days get longer there is plenty of tasks to do in the garden to prepare for the growing season ahead. There are even some crops that can be sown already! Happy gardening everyone!
