Gardening expert Chris Bonnett from GardeningExpress has highlighted eight essential crops and flowers that gardeners can plant in March. The selection includes hardy vegetables like kale, beetroot and spinach for direct sowing, as well as tender crops such as tomatoes and chillies best started indoors. Hardy annuals like cornflowers and poppies can also be sown directly outside.
Before planting, Bonnett advises ensuring the soil is not frozen or waterlogged, removing weeds, and covering beds with horticultural fleece if frost is expected. Soil should be forked or tilled to improve aeration, with substantial organic matter like compost or well-rotted manure added to enhance structure and nutrients.
Kale, beetroot and spinach can be sown outdoors once soil temperatures exceed 7°C, typically from mid to late March. Kale is particularly hardy and will produce continuously if outer leaves are harvested regularly. Beetroot seeds should be planted 2cm deep and thinned as they grow, while spinach matures quickly and can fill temporary gaps in the garden.
Tomatoes and chillies require a longer growing season and should be started indoors in small pots, using a heated propagator or a sunny windowsill. Tomatoes need warmth and eventually transplanting into individual pots, while chillies benefit from progressive repotting into larger containers up to 30cm.
First early potatoes can be planted in trenches 15cm deep or in containers at least 30cm wide, with sprouts facing upwards. Onion sets are straightforward: press them into the soil leaving the tip visible, ensuring a bright position and well-draining soil. For flowers, simply scatter seeds of cornflowers and poppies over prepared ground and cover lightly.
