What I’m Sowing in March, Too Early or Perfect Timing?

It’s March in the UK, and depending on who you listen to, it’s either too early to start sowing, the perfect time, or you should still be waiting.

As usual, I’m not waiting.

With the weather still unpredictable, this is where having a greenhouse and raised beds really comes into its own. I can test both environments side by side, which is exactly what I’m doing this week.

So the question is, what can you actually sow in March?

What I’m Sowing Right Now

This week I’ve gone for a mix of reliable, fast growers and a few longer-season crops.

I’ve sown lettuce, Arctic King and Little Gem, along with peas, kale, perpetual spinach, radishes, sweetcorn and tomatoes.

It’s a bit of everything, but all chosen for a reason. Some will cope with the cold, some will stay protected, and others are all about getting a head start.

For the peas, I’ve gone back to a method I’ve used before, sowing them in a drainpipe.

It might look a bit unusual, but it works really well. Once the peas are ready to plant out, you can simply lay the pipe into your bed, tip it up, and slide the whole row out in one go. It gives you a perfectly spaced line with no root disturbance.

I sow them in groups of three, which helps improve germination and gives you a stronger clump of plants.

Peas are a great crop for this time of year, they tolerate cooler temperatures, germinate quickly, and can be moved outside fairly soon.

A Bit of Inspiration from the Gardening Community

One thing I wanted to mention this week is the power of the gardening community.

I’ve been following a few channels, including @ALifeInTheGarden with James, and while I don’t grow many flowers myself, seeing his allotment full of colour really got me thinking.

We got chatting in the comments, and he kindly sent me a selection of flower seeds along with his book, which is a great guide for anyone getting started with what to plant and when.

So over the next few weeks, I’ll be adding more flowers into the garden, not just for looks, but to help attract bees and pollinators.

My Seed Sowing Setup

For all of this, I’m using a simple potting mix made up of compost, a bit of coir for moisture retention, and perlite to keep things light and well-draining.

I’ve sieved the mix to remove any large lumps, which helps the seeds germinate more easily.

From there, it’s just about keeping things consistent.

Sweetcorn is sown one seed per cell, lettuce is sprinkled in small clusters, spinach gets three or four seeds per cell, and radishes are scattered lightly across the surface.

Getting Ahead with Tomatoes

Tomatoes are one of the key crops where timing really matters in the UK.

This year I’m growing a mix of varieties, including Moneymaker, Florentino, Golden Queen, San Marzano and Tigerella.

Some I’ve grown before, others are new to me, but the goal is the same, get them started early and build strong plants before the summer arrives.

They’ll be germinating in the greenhouse as part of an ongoing test, with a few backups inside the house just in case.

Crops That Work Well in March

A lot of what I’ve sown this week are crops that either grow quickly or cope well with cooler conditions.

Lettuce and radishes are perfect for quick harvests and regular sowing, while spinach and kale can handle colder weather without too many issues.

Sweetcorn and tomatoes need a bit more protection early on, but starting them now gives them the best chance of success later in the season.

Where Everything Is Growing

Everything has been placed strategically to give it the best chance.

The tomatoes are sitting at the top of the mini greenhouse with extra cover, while lettuce and spinach are inside the greenhouse to get established.

Kale and radishes are in containers for added warmth, and the sweetcorn is also tucked into the mini greenhouse.

It’s all part of the same ongoing experiment, testing what works best in these conditions.

What Happens Next

Over the next few weeks, I’ll be tracking how everything develops, especially comparing how crops perform in the greenhouse versus outside.

This is where things get interesting, seeing what actually works rather than just following general advice.

If you’re sowing this March, it would be great to hear what you’re planting and how it’s going for you.

You can watch the full video here👇
https://youtu.be/F4A9V_fOjOo