The allotment in March

It’s been a long winter but the new growing season starts in earnest here. The days are lengthening and temperatures are beginning to rise. We will have the spring equinox and towards the end of the month the clocks will go forward giving us a little more light in the evenings. We can start sowing some seeds direct at the allotment in March and with the benefit of a greenhouse or a sunny window sill we can give nature a helping hand and get an early start for others.

Don’t be impatient though. If the weather stays cold and your allotment is wet and heavy like ours delay direct sowing in the allotment until the end of the month or into April. ‘They’ll catch up’ my dad always wisely reminds me. Seeds sown when conditions don’t suit them are unlikely to do well.

Most vegetables can be started in pots, trays or cells if you have somewhere to do this, carrots and parsnips being notable exceptions. I have an unheated greenhouse in the garden where I start hardy vegetables like beetroot and brassicas. I find this beneficial because it’s easier to tend the growing seedlings at home than to go to the allotment every day at this time of the year. The slightly warmer, more consistent temperature in the greenhouse helps germination and early growth. The established plants are a little more resistant to pest attacks once set out in the ground.

Start chitting potatoes in March for planting out at the end of the month or early in April.

Whilst our cultivated vegetables may need careful tending at this time of year weeds are likely to be thriving. Keep on top of them as well as you can. In dry periods regular hoeing or raking of the surface of your soil should be enough to dislodge new growth. If the weather is uncooperative or the weeds are more established there’s nothing for it but to get stuck in by hand and with a trowel or hand fork.

Sow indoors in March

If you didn’t sow chillies and peppers, tomatoes and aubergines last month don’t worry, March is still early enough. Ideally use a heated propagator but a warm sunny window sill will do the trick.

Cucumber, celeriac and celery can also be started indoors.

It’s the last chance for starting onions from seed this month.

Sow in the greenhouse in March

Many different types of brassica can be sown in the greenhouse in March, amongst these are brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, kale and summer cabbages like hispi and greyhound. Chard and spinach can be started too, as leafy veg, we usually plant these in the same beds as our brassicas.

We will continue to sow broad beans and peas, early or maincrop varieties can be sown this month. Petit pois and mange tout can be sown too.

Our first beetroot, swede, leeks and ‘banana’ shallots can also be started.

Onion sets and spring planting varieties of garlic such as Picardy can be started in cells too.

Sow and plant outside in March

If the weather is mild and the soil is not too wet all of the seeds that you can start in the greenhouse may be sown direct in the allotment in March. Experiment with a few in each place if you wish.

Early varieties of carrots can be sown in the root vegetable bed. These don’t transplant well so starting them indoors is not usually successful. They like warm soil so germination may well be inconsistent. If you can, cover the sowing area with plastic or cloches for a week or two prior to sowing. This will improve germination.

Parsnips can be started in the allotment in March too. Wait until the end of the month for best results.

Turnips and radish can be sown direct. These normally germinate readily and grow easily outside so there is little benefit in starting them in the greenhouse.

Broad beans and early variety peas can be sown and if you have any that you started in pots earlier in the year they can be planted out if established.

Start planting seed potatoes at the end of the month and into next month.

Shallots can be planted direct as can maincrop onion sets and spring planting varieties of garlic but I prefer to start these in modules.

Many varieties of lettuce and salad leaves can be sown in the allotment or vegetable garden in March if conditions allow.

March is also the perfect time to start an asparagus bed.

Ready to harvest in March

If we’re lucky we may still have swede, leeks, purple sprouting broccoli and winter cabbages left to harvest. Spring cabbage will be available too. This year we are still harvesting Brussels sprouts and they’re lovely!