Today (20th March) marks the spring equinox, the start of spring in the Northern Hemisphere. The days are getting longer, the sun is showing up more often & you can almost feel the garden waking up from its winter slumber. If you’ve been itching to get your hands dirty again, now’s the time. The garden is starting to come back to life and there’s plenty to do to help it along. Grab your gloves, maybe throw on a jumper (it’s still a bit nippy) and let’s dive into what you should be getting up to in the garden this month! 

1. Start Sowing Those Seeds

March is the month where things really start to kick off. If you haven’t started sowing your seeds indoors yet, now is the time to get cracking! You can begin with some hardy veggies like peas, broad beans, and carrots. For flowers, think about sowing calendula, poppies and sunflowers. It’s like creating a little springtime factory on your windowsill and, honestly, who doesn’t love watching little green shoots pop up? 

You can also think about getting your potatoes chitting – that means letting them sprout a little before you plant them in the ground. It’s an easy way to get a head start on your spud harvest later in the year.  

2. Spring Clean Your Garden Tools

Let’s be honest, the chances are your garden tools have spent the last few months lounging in the shed, gathering dust and maybe even a little bit of rust. Now’s the perfect time to give them a good spring clean. Give your spades, forks and trowels a clean with wire wool and camelia oil before sharpening the blades – they’ll work a lot better when you need them. 

If your tools are looking a bit worse for wear, it might be time to treat yourself to a new one or two. Nothing quite beats the joy of using a shiny new tool in the garden. It’s like the gardening equivalent of wearing new shoes! 

3. Get Your Lawn in Shape

If you’ve got a lawn, March is a great time to give it some TLC. If it’s been a bit neglected over winter (don’t worry, we’ve all been there), rake off any dead leaves, twigs and moss that’s accumulated. Give the grass some room to breathe and soak up all that lovely spring sunshine. 

If you’ve got any bare patches, now’s the time to overseed your lawn to fill them in. And if the weather’s mild enough, you can treat your grass to a bit of spring feed to give it a boost and help it bounce back stronger than ever. 

4. Spring Bulbs

March is when the garden really starts to show off and your spring bulbs will start popping up. Crocuses, daffodils and tulips should be making an appearance, and it’s hard to be grumpy when you’ve got all that sunshine in a flower. If you’re one of those gardeners who’s been a bit late to the bulb-planting party, it’s not too late to sneak a few in the ground this month. You’ll get some lovely late spring colour in no time. 

Also think about adding some primroses or hellebores to your garden now – they’re perfect for brightening up those early spring days when everything else is still waking up and provide a much-needed food source for those early bees buzzing about. 

5. Weeding

It’s the job we all love to hate but weeding in March can really set you up for a more relaxed gardening season. Those weeds that have popped up during the winter are starting to grow in earnest now, so get on top of them before they really get out of hand. Plus, weeding early on means you won’t be spending your summer days knee-deep in hairy bittercress and nettles. 

But don’t go overboard – there are a few weeds (like dandelions) that are actually great for the bees and other pollinators, so leave a few around for them to enjoy.  

6. Wildlife-Friendly Gardens

While we are taking about the creatures we share our gardens with, March is a great time to think about the birds, bees and insects that will be hanging out in your garden over the next few months. Add some bird feeders or bird baths to attract feathered friends and make sure to leave a few areas of your garden a bit wild. Piles of leaves, twigs, and branches make great hiding spots for beneficial insects (hello, ladybirds!), and they’ll also provide a cosy space for your garden’s winter-hibernators to make their exit when the time is right. 

7. Enjoy the Sunshine

Okay, so let’s be real – the UK in March isn’t exactly known for constant sunshine. But when those rare, sunny moments do pop up, grab the opportunity to get outside and soak up some vitamin D while you can. Whether it’s a quick garden sit-down, a cup of tea in the sun, or just enjoying the beauty of the season changing, these little moments are what make gardening so rewarding. 

Final Thoughts – Spring Is Coming And We’re Ready! 

March is the month of transition – the cold winter days are behind us and the garden is slowly but surely waking up to greet the sunshine. There’s so much to do, from sowing seeds to tidying up, to creating homes for wildlife. With just a little attention and care, your garden will be looking better than ever by the time the warmer weather really kicks in.