These ten things are a great place to start if you want to get growing this March.
March is one of those months that feels full of possibility. The ground is beginning to wake up and even if the weather still cannot quite make its mind up, there is a definite sense that the growing season is edging closer.
It is also a month that asks for a bit of judgement. In the UK, March can still bring cold snaps and frosts, so it helps to think in terms of hardy crops for outside and tender crops for indoors. The Royal Horticultural Society advises waiting until after your local last frost before planting out tender crops. That is often around early to late May in much of England and Wales, and later still in Scotland and colder upland areas.
The beauty of sowing in March is that it feels practical and hopeful all at once. A few seeds now can carry you right into spring and early summer. Here are ten good things to plant or sow this March in the UK.
1. Broad beans
Broad beans are one of the classic March sowings, and for good reason. They are tough, dependable and one of the first crops that can usually go straight into the ground at this time of year.
They suit larger veg patches well, but they can also work in smaller spaces if you do not mind giving them a little support as they grow. There is something very satisfying about starting with broad beans. They feel sturdy and optimistic, which is not a bad combination for March.
2. Peas
Peas are another strong choice for March, especially hardy early varieties.
If you have the room, sowing them in a shallow trench outdoors is a good way to start. If the weather still feels a bit harsh where you are, you can also begin them in pots or gutters under cover and slide them out later. Either way, they are one of those crops that make the season feel properly underway.
3. Carrots
March is a good moment for the first sowing of carrots, particularly early varieties.
If you are sowing outside, it is worth waiting until the soil is workable and not too wet. In colder spots, a little fleece or a cloche can help. Carrots are one of those crops that reward patience. They do not look like much at first, but they quietly get on with it.
4. Spinach
Spinach is one of the best March sowings if you want something quick, useful and forgiving.
It is a good one for beds, raised beds and containers, and it suits people who may only have a small amount of growing space. A few rows or a couple of pots can give you fresh leaves before long, and that is often enough to get people hooked again on growing food.
5. Salad leaves
If you want an easy win, sow salad leaves.
These are ideal for almost any setting. Trays, tubs, raised beds, windowsill boxes, allotments, farm gardens, shared spaces. They are quick to germinate, easy to use, and a good reminder that growing does not need to be grand to feel worthwhile.
6. Radishes
Radishes are one of the most encouraging things you can sow in March because they tend to move quickly and ask for very little.
For newer growers, radishes are often a confidence builder. For more experienced growers, they are a handy way to keep something fresh and fast-moving on the go while slower crops get established.
7. Early potatoes
March is widely recognised as a good time to plant early potatoes once the soil begins to warm.
For many people, potatoes mark the real beginning of the growing year. Whether you are planting them in the ground, in a large container or in a sack, they bring a sense of commitment. Things are happening now.
8. Onions
Onions are another solid March job, whether you are planting sets or getting started with young plants.
They are not the most glamorous crop, but they are incredibly useful, and they fit well into both bigger food-growing spaces and more modest plots. There is also something reassuring about onions. They are part of the backbone of so many meals, and growing even a little of your own can feel quietly grounding.
9. Hardy herbs
March is a good time to sow or plant hardy herbs such as parsley, chives, coriander and thyme.
For people without much space, herbs are a brilliant place to begin. A pot of chives or parsley on a doorstep or windowsill still counts as growing, and still brings you into the season. They are small, but they can often change how a space feels.
10. Tomatoes (started indoors)
Tomatoes are one of the classic crops to start indoors in March, especially if you want to give them a good head start before warmer weather arrives. In the UK, they are usually sown under cover rather than outside, as they need warmth to germinate and a long growing season to do well.
If you are planning to grow them outside later in the year, it is worth keeping your local last frost in mind. Tomatoes are tender, so they should be hardened off and only planted out once frost risk has passed, which in many parts of the UK means waiting until May, and later still in colder northern or upland areas. Starting them indoors now can give them useful extra time to grow, but sowing too early can leave you with leggy plants before the weather is ready for them.
A March thought from us
March is not about getting everything done. It is about beginning. A few rows, a few pots, a tray on a windowsill, a bit of space made ready for what is coming.
At WWOOF UK, we know that growing happens in all sorts of places and at all sorts of scales. For some, March means fields and polytunnels. For others, it means a borrowed corner of a garden or a couple of containers outside the door. All of it counts.
So if you are wondering where to start this month, start small. Pick one or two things and get your hands in the soil.
What are you sowing this March?
If you are planting or sowing something where you are, we would love to see it. Find us on social media and share what is getting started in your green space!
