The snowy start to March is true to the ancient proverb about the first calendar month of Spring: in like a snow lion, out like a lamb roast (it’s all that fresh new mint for sauce).
The days are lengthening noticeably, the soil is warming and soon to be frost free in some areas, and vegetable growers around the country can begin their work in earnest.
Tender crops can confidently be sown indoors undercover, and in mild southerly regions, there are plenty of crops to begin sowing directly outdoors – just as soon as this snow melts, anyway…
Is it too late to sow seeds recommended for February? Definitely not, and in many cases it’s just as good if not better to sow a bit late with these early crops, because then they are sure to get planted out promptly into warm soil.
Which seeds should you grow? That’s down to your personal preferences, but it’s so easy to try out a lot of different varieties that your real challenge will be narrowing down the best ones for your tastes and purposes. Here is some inspiration:
Seeds to Sow Indoors in March
For a head start on the growing season, sow seeds indoors in your greenhouse or brightly lit windowsill.
Providing the right temperature, moisture levels, and light conditions for good germination will mean that you have nurtured strong and healthy seedlings that have a head start once the risk of frost has long passed.
In their March food growing advice, The RHS recommends the following crops for sowing indoors:
- Nightshade family: sweet peppers, tomatoes, aubergines
- Cucurbits: cucumbers
- Salad: celery, mixed salad leaves
- Globe artichokes
Seeds to Sow Outdoors in March
It’s still too cold to sow directly outdoors without a cold frame, which anyone can build like so:
But, guided by the forecast and your particular garden’s microclimate, you can be ready to sow in open beds when the soil temperature is suitable.
The RHS recommends the following “hardy” crops for sowing outdoors early, and most people living in the warmer South of England or Wales should be able to get started before the end of March:
- Legumes: broad beans, peas
- Roots: carrots, parsnips, beetroot, radish, turnip, kohlrabi
- Bulbs: onions, leeks
- Brassicas: summer cabbage, summer cauliflower
- Leafy: lettuces, spinach, salad leaves, Swiss chard
What’s your favourite vegetable to grow from seed?