Job assignments for the month of March
As the days grow longer and the weather becomes milder, March is the perfect time to get your allotment ready for a productive growing season. Here's a guide to the recommended crops to plant and some essential tips for a fruitful harvest.
Strawberries are a delightful treat, and March is an ideal time to plant bare-root strawberries in well-prepared, fertile soil, spacing them about 35cm apart. These hardy plants establish well before winter dormancy and produce fruit from mid-spring onward.
Another crop to consider is Kohlrabi, a versatile brassica that can be sown early in the year. Choose bolt-resistant varieties for reliability. Kohlrabi is hardy and can be harvested 8 to 12 weeks after sowing, depending on the variety.
Spring onions are another crop that can be sown directly outdoors or in modules, ready for harvest later in the year. Additionally, early brassicas and hardy salad greens can be sown or planted now, extending the growing season for a good harvest.
Peas, onions (from sets), potatoes, early carrots, and various salad greens are other typical allotment crops for sowing or planting in early spring. These crops thrive with the increasing daylight and cooler temperatures typical in March.
To help establish an early crop of strawberries, consider covering a row or two with a cloche. Cloches are also useful for warming the soil for early sowings and protecting plants from frost.
Aphids can be an early problem, but they are an important food source for beneficial insects like ladybirds, hoverflies, and sparrows. To encourage these beneficial creatures, avoid using pesticides if possible. If necessary, consider purchasing horticultural fleece from Dobies, Crocus, and Thompson & Morgan.
Weeding is essential, especially for perennial weeds, to make them easier to control for the rest of the year. Feed brassicas, cabbages, fruit trees, cherries, plums, and other plants with nitrogen-rich fertiliser.
March is a busy month on allotments, with key jobs including weeding, sowing seeds, and planting out a variety of edible crops. To get started, explore our guide to peat-free composts and our roundup of the best garden cloches. Don't forget to warm the soil for early sowings by covering beds with cloches or black plastic.
For those looking to purchase plants, consider buying bare-root strawberry runners, fruit bushes, bare-root fruit trees, bare-root asparagus crowns, shallots, onion sets, and garlic from Crocus, Thompson & Morgan, and Suttons. You can also buy young vegetable plants online or look for them at the garden centre from providers like Thompson & Morgan, Dobies, Suttons, Van Meuwen, and others.
Remember to protect plants from slugs and pests, such as covering brassicas with fleece to deter pigeons. Plant out garlic, shallots, and onion sets in March, and plant bare-root fruit trees, strawberry runners, asparagus crowns, and Jerusalem artichokes as well.
By following these tips, you'll be well on your way to a bountiful harvest this growing season. Happy gardening!
[1] RHS (2021). How to grow strawberries. [Online] Available at: https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=646 [2] RHS (2021). How to grow spring onions. [Online] Available at: https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=1431 [3] RHS (2021). How to grow kohlrabi. [Online] Available at: https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=1419 [4] RHS (2021). How to grow strawberries. [Online] Available at: https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=646 [5] RHS (2021). How to grow spring brassicas. [Online] Available at: https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=1418
- To complement your allotment, start experimenting with global cuisines by trying out diverse recipes that feature fresh strawberries, spring onions, and kohlrabi, which are all suitable for planting in March.
- For fashion-conscious gardeners, consider incorporating gardening into your lifestyle by investing in stylish garden accessories such as food and drink containers, clothing, and gadgets from renowned brands like Suttons, Crocus, and Thompson & Morgan.
- Even if you don't have an allotment, you can still enjoy the taste of home-grown produce by growing flowers, herbs, and vegetables in pots or trays indoors or on a balcony. A few edible options to consider are strawberries, spring onions, and microgreens, which can provide a fantastic addition to your food-and-drink preparations.
- To stay informed about the latest trends in cooking and gardening, follow popular lifestyle and food-and-drink magazines, blogs, and social media influencers whose content revolves around home-and-garden, fashion-and-beauty, and global cuisines. Great resources include the RHS (Royal Horticultural Society), GrowVeg, and Nigel Slater's Kitchen Diaries.
