Cultivate your edibles in March
March in the Fruit and Veg Garden: Sowing Seeds and Harvesting Rhubarb
The arrival of warmer weather and longer days means there is plenty of work to be done in the fruit and veg garden. This month, the author will be performing tasks such as sowing seed outdoors and harvesting rhubarb.
To direct sow crops like carrots, salad leaves, spring onions, and beetroot, prepare a well-composed, nutrient-rich soil bed outdoors and sow the seeds straight into the ground. Carrots and beetroot generally do best when their seeds are sown directly outdoors because they dislike root disturbance and transplant shock, which can stunt growth. Salad leaves and spring onions can be sown in succession to ensure continuous harvests. Beetroot can also be started in modules (small pots) if you prefer easier spacing but must be transplanted before roots get large.
For sowing seed outdoors, follow these tips:
- Soil Preparation: Ensure the bed is rich in compost or well-rotted organic matter. Mixing compost with vermicastings or manure can enhance fertility. The soil should be well-drained and crumbly for good seed-to-soil contact.
- Timing: Sow according to your climate and the season—late summer or early autumn for many leafy greens and root vegetables. Timing to avoid extreme heat or frost is important for seed germination success.
- Sowing Depth and Spacing: Sow seeds at the depth recommended on the packet, usually shallow for salad leaves and spring onions, and slightly deeper for root crops. Thin seedlings appropriately to avoid overcrowding, improving airflow and root development.
- Succession Sowing: Sow small amounts regularly to maintain a steady supply of greens and onions. This method works well with salad leaves, spring onions, carrots, and beetroot.
- Watering and Protection: Keep the ground moist but not waterlogged after sowing to encourage germination. Use light mulch or low netting if the seeds or emerging seedlings are vulnerable to birds, slugs, or heavy rain.
The ground temperature needs to be 10°C for a few hours during the day to guarantee germination. If the seedling is leggy, it is dropped deep into the hole so that the leaves are close to the surface.
When it comes to harvesting rhubarb, the stem is gripped down near the base and given a firm twist to pull it away from the crown cleanly. The author stops harvesting from young rhubarb plants by the summer to give them a chance to recover and strengthen for longer picking next year. The new rhubarb stems are coming thick and fast and are still sweet and perfect for harvesting now.
For transplanting seedlings, the author uses a string line to mark the rows, an edge of a hoe to draw out a V-shaped drill 2cm deep, and pinches a few seeds in their hand to sow in stations every 3-4cm. Each transplanted seedling is placed in a hole made with a dibber and gently firm around it without touching the stem. The potatoes are spaced about 30cm apart and the chits or small shoots are facing up. The transplanted seedlings are watered and placed on the bench to grow for a few weeks before planting into their final position.
The first early potatoes are planted in the last couple of weeks of March, either in a 10-15cm deep trench or holes about 10cm deep in raised beds. The potatoes are covered with soil and as they grow, they are earthing up or covered with more material to block the light from the new potatoes. The potatoes form under these layers.
The author transplants greenhouse tomato seedlings into 9cm pots filled with a mix of peat-free potting compost and John Innes no 3. The author does not water again until the seedlings appear, but would after a few days if it's very dry.
The site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. The author expects to see some germination in a couple of weeks.
[1] Soil Preparation for Vegetable Gardening [2] Sowing Vegetables Directly Outdoors [3] Carrot Sowing Guide [4] Beetroot Sowing Guide [5] Salad Leaves Sowing Guide
- To cultivate salad leaves, spring onions, carrots, and beetroot in raised beds, one should first prepare a rich and well-drained soil bed with compost or well-rotted organic matter.
- For a continuous supply of greens and onions, consider succession sowing by sowing small amounts regularly with appropriate spacing and thinning to avoid overcrowding.
