The most important tip this month is that, although it may officially be March (which sees the commencement of British Summer Time), there is no actual guarantee on the weather, so be realistic about any ground you’re thinking of planting into and focus on cultivating patience if it stays cold. A good guide to whether to sow is whether the grass in your garden or the local park has started growing.
You can warm the earth for a few weeks by laying down fleece (which you can buy second hand from Riverford) or clear plastic (old shower curtains are good for this).
It’s also good practice to get out regularly and weed, now. But avoid standing on very wet soil while you’re weeding (it compacts it). And don’t forget to clean off and dry your tools afterwards!
As with January and February, you can be starting off seeds indoors, if you have windows that get enough light. One of our most significant learnings last year came from planting lettuce seedlings on a table NEAR a window, rather than right up against it. The seedlings grew long, thin and straggly and were useless for planting out. So we picked them and threw them into soup instead…
Deciding what to grow is a very personal decision. It all depends what you and the rest of your household actually like eating, and what kind of space you have. You might love sweetcorn, but if you are growing in a tub on a table top on a small patio, well…
And remember that there are tumbling varieties of tomatoes that you could grow from a hanging basket, and "golf-ball" or short varieties of carrots (like Thumbelina or Chantenay) and other root veggies that will do fine in troughs along ledges.
So what can I start off in March?
If you’re planning on starting off seedlings indoors this month, or directly into warmed soil, under protective cloches, here’s a list of what is usually started off in March to choose from:
baby beetroot
broad beans
carrots
leeks
lettuces
onions
parsnips
peas (esp mange tout)
potatoes
radish
spinach
salad, and
turnip.
Remember – if you’re urban growing, think of the harvest size of the veggie you want to grow when you’re deciding whether to try it, as kohl rabis, leeks, cauliflowers and cabbages can get big, and will need spacing out beyond the seedling stage, and will need deep-ish soil for the edible roots.
If you are planting directly into warmed ground, or a greenhouse of polytunnel, keep an eye on weather reports. If there is a frost forecast, you’ll need to get out and add extra protection to your tender young seedlings.
And finally – if you’re indoor-sowing something that has a big seed, sow each one into its own seperate pot right from the start to make planting out possible and avoiding root entanglement.
Over to you
We’d like to say something about growing potatoes. Last year there was a flurry of activity on Ooffoo from newbie potato growers. So we’re wondering whether anyone would like to take us through from "chitting" and what to grow potatoes in, to "earthing up" and ideas about varieties.
Who’s game?!
Categories: seasonal eating
