Planting Season is Starting – Early Gardening Tips
Our gardens start to come to life again at this busy time of year for the gardener – planting season – when the days are getting longer and the temperature starts to increase by the day. March is a great time to get seeds in the ground or started indoors before the warmer weather of late spring, when you can get them planted outdoors.
The soil may be starting to warm up by mid-March (or it may still be frozen solid in Scotland – fingers crossed the snow is over for this winter anyway!) so always take a cue from the weather and keep an eye on forecasts. Ideally, you are looking for a soil temperature of 6C – you can always use a plastic covering or cloches to help warm the ground and protect plants from any pests too.
Follow a few of these guidelines on what to start planting in March and hopefully come April the main spring sowings will be getting underway, ready to give you a good crop or flowering display as we head into summer.
What to grow outside
Depending on weather and soil conditions, now is the time to start planting potatoes – plant out early cultivars asap and follow on planting out at regular intervals with the second earlies and the first main crop at the end of March.
It is also the season for planting root crops including beetroot, turnips, carrots & parsnips, as well as mangetout, peas & broad beans – although these can do better started in pots/trays.
Summer salads including lettuces, endive, cress, rocket, radishes and leeks, radishes and spring onions as well as the national fruit, strawberry plants – either in the ground or in hanging baskets/pots.
If you love flowers and want a garden full of blooms, now is a good time for planting wildflowers, sweet peas, hardy annual flowers like Californian Poppies, Clarkia and Cornflowers as well as summer-flowering bulbs, roses and evergreen shrubs.
What to grow in trays or pots
If you have problems with slugs or weeds, you may have better success starting the brassica crops, leeks and salads in trays and then planting out when they are bigger and better able to withstand them. Similarly, broad beans and peas can be started indoors for a bigger chance to thrive.
What to grow indoors or in greenhouses
British climate is not very encouraging for plants like tomatoes, peppers and aubergines, so they are best grown safely in a greenhouse. Courgettes, squashes, cucumbers and melons also thrive indoors but not too early, or they will get too large before the weather is good enough for them to go outside.
Summer bedding plants such as Lobelia, Busy Lizzies, Petunias and Geraniums can get started in a heated propagator.
General Tips
Get on top of weeds and give your garden a good tidy-up of any winter debris
Repair lawns by sowing grass seeds in patchy parts, fertilise grass and give a good first cut in dry weather
Fertilise beds and get on top of pest control using weed/slug/mouse/rabbit proofing measures such as pellets, fencing or other protective covering
General dead-heading and pruning where needed
We wish you happy gardening this spring!
Clyde Property is a leading independent, multiple award-winning estate agent with over 30 years’ experience in selling and letting property in Scotland. Just call your local Clyde Property branch today, for friendly, impartial advice on letting and renting property.
