What can I plant in March?
(UK Gardening Guide)
March is when spring really gets going in the UK. Daylight is longer, the soil begins to warm and you can sow a wide range of crops outdoors as well as under cover. Late frosts can still occur, so a little care with tender plants and newly emerged growth will keep your garden on track.
What can you sow in March?
March is one of the busiest months for sowing. You can start many crops indoors or under cover, and once the soil is workable (not frozen or waterlogged), you can sow hardy vegetables directly outside.
Sandy and chalky soils warm up faster than heavy clay; if your ground is still cold, use fleece or cloches to warm it, or start peas, onions and brassicas in pots to transplant later.
Successional sowing of crops like spinach, radishes and salad leaves will spread your harvest over the coming weeks.
Vegetables to sow indoors or under cover
Tomatoes (by mid-March; needs light)- Chillies and peppers (by mid-March)
- Aubergines (warm conditions)
- Courgettes (from mid- to late March)
- Cucumbers (from mid- to late March)
- Celery and celeriac (under cover)
- Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower (for transplanting later)
Vegetables to sow or plant outdoors
- Peas and broad beans (when soil is workable)
- Beetroot, carrots, parsnips (direct sow)
- Spinach, chard, kale (direct sow)
- Salad leaves, rocket, lettuce (direct sow)
- Radishes and spring onions (direct sow)
- Early potatoes (when ground is not sodden)
- Onion sets and shallots (in well-drained soil)
Tip: If the soil sticks to your boots or is frozen, wait until it is workable before sowing outside. Seeds sown too early in cold soil often germinate at the same time as later sowings.
Sproutly Gardening tip: Log your March sowings in Sproutly to track what you planted where, set reminders for thinning and transplanting, and plan successional sowings.
March gardening tips and common mistakes
March brings more daylight and activity, but the weather can still be unpredictable. Avoiding these common mistakes will help your crops get off to a strong start and reduce setbacks from late frosts or cold, wet soil.
- Sowing outdoors in frozen or waterlogged soil
Working or sowing in poor conditions damages soil structure and can rot seeds. Wait until the ground is workable and not sticky. - Ignoring late frosts
Frost can still occur well into March and April. Use fleece or cloches to protect early potatoes and tender seedlings. - Forgetting to thin seedlings
Carrots, lettuce and other small-seeded crops need thinning so remaining plants have space to mature. Remove the weakest seedlings first. - Sowing heat-loving crops too late
Tomatoes, peppers and chillies should be sown by mid-March indoors so they have enough time to fruit in summer. - Skipping successional sowing
Sowing spinach, radishes and salad leaves every few weeks spreads harvests and avoids gluts.
Sproutly Gardening tip: Use Sproutly to schedule thinning, transplanting and successional sowings so you stay on top of March’s busy schedule.
Garden planning and task management features
Sproutly Gardening helps you organise your plants, plan tasks and set reminders so nothing is forgotten.
Record your sowings
Track which vegetables you have started indoors or sown outside.
Plan upcoming jobs
Schedule thinning, transplanting, feeding and frost protection.
Set reminders
Never forget to check seedlings, protect crops or water indoor plants.
Review your progress
Keep notes on what worked well and what you want to change next year.
Make the most of spring. Add your March plants to Sproutly Gardening today and keep your season organised.
Gardening advice is provided as a general guide based on typical UK conditions. Weather soil and local climate can vary so always use your judgement and adjust timing as needed for your own garden.