March Gardening Guide: Tips to Kickstart Spring in Your Garden

As winter fades and March rolls in, it’s time to welcome the early signs of spring! Gardens are starting to wake up, bringing the perfect opportunity to kick off a new season of growth. The days are getting longer, the air is warming, and the soil is softening—perfect conditions for rolling up your sleeves and diving into gardening tasks. March is all about shifting from the quiet maintenance of winter to preparing for the months ahead. Whether it’s clearing out the remnants of the cold season, refreshing the soil, or planning your planting, this is the time to set your garden up for success.

March Gardening Checklist: Stay Organised with Easy Garden Irrigation's Monthly Guide

Get ready for a productive gardening season with our Gardening Monthly Checklist Template! Designed to keep you organised this March, this flexible tool helps you plan, track tasks, and stay on top of your garden's needs with ease. Customise it to suit your space, and watch your garden thrive!

Install Water Butts: Harvest Rainwater for Sustainable Gardening

Installing a water butt is a simple and effective way to make your gardening more sustainable while providing your plants with fresh, chlorine-free water. Setting one up in March allows you to take full advantage of the spring rains, which will quickly fill the water butt. Choose a model that suits your garden’s needs—smaller options are ideal for compact spaces, while larger water butts can store several hundred litres, perfect for larger gardens.

Position the water butt beneath a downpipe connected to your roof guttering. Most water butts include diverter kits, which direct rainwater from the downpipe into the container while managing any overflow.

Once installed, ensure your water butt is fitted with a secure lid to keep out debris and prevent algae growth. For easy access, attach a tap or hose connector to the water butt, and consider adding a filter to prevent leaves and dirt from entering the system. If you already have a water butt, take time to inspect it for cracks, leaks, or clogged filters, ensuring it’s ready to perform throughout the growing season. With regular maintenance, a water butt can provide an eco-friendly and reliable water source for years to come!

Spring Irrigation Tips: Get Your Watering System Ready for the Season

March is the perfect time to get your irrigation system ready for the growing season ahead. Begin by thoroughly inspecting your setup, whether you use drip irrigation, soaker hoses, or sprinklers. Winter conditions can cause damage, so carefully check for cracked or brittle hoses, blocked emitters or nozzles caused by debris or limescale, and leaks at joints or connections that could lead to water wastage during operation.

Running water through the system is essential to flush out dirt, debris, or algae that may have accumulated over the winter. For drip systems, it’s a good idea to disassemble and clean individual emitters if necessary, using a mild solution of vinegar and water to remove stubborn limescale.

This is also a great opportunity to reassess the layout of your irrigation. Ensure hoses and emitters are correctly positioned to target the root zones of your plants, particularly if you’ve reorganised garden beds or added new plants. Proper placement ensures water is delivered where it’s most effective, reducing waste.

If your system is automated, test the timer to make sure it’s functioning properly and adjust the watering schedule to suit early spring conditions. At this time of year, soil tends to retain more moisture, meaning plants often require less frequent watering compared to the hotter summer months.

Preparing Your Lawn for Spring: March Maintenance Tips

Your lawn wakes up from its winter slumber in March, and a little TLC now will ensure it thrives throughout the year. Start by giving the grass a light trim–don't cut it too short just yet, as this could stress the roots. A modest trim encourages strong root growth, making your lawn healthier and more resilient to summer droughts. Focus on creating a healthy lawn rather than battling common issues like moss, daises or dandelions. A robust lawn often outcompetes these perceived problems naturally.

If moss is a persistent issue, it’s a sign of poor drainage, often worsened by shade or soil compaction. Aerate the lawn using a garden fork to create small holes approximately six inches apart, then mix equal parts sharp sand, compost, and sieved soil to fill the holes. This improves drainage and nourishes the grassroots. Rake away thatch and moss with a wire rake to let sunlight and water penetrate the soil. Though your lawn might look sparse for a week or two, this effort will reward you with lush, healthy grass as spring progresses.

What to Grow and Sow this Spring

March is a great month to start sowing seeds, but soil temperature is key. If the ground is cold to the touch, it's best to sow under cover. Start seeds for cabbage, lettuce, celery, beetroot, and tomatoes indoors or in a greenhouse. Outdoors, when the soil feels warm, you can sow hardy options like spinach, radishes, and parsnips.

Grow your own shallots for a delicious, homegrown boost to your cooking! These versatile alliums are easier to grow than onions and store beautifully for months. Shallots should be planted 9 inches apart in rows a foot apart, with their tips above the soil. Protect them with fleece to deter curious birds, and if the ground is still too wet, start them in plugs indoors. Recommended varieties include the slender ‘Longor’ or the round ‘Meloine.’

Pruning Shrubs and Climbers: What to Cut Back in March

March is the ideal time to prune shrubs and climbers that flower on new growth, such as clematis, roses, and buddleia. Pruning encourages fresh, vigorous shoots that will produce beautiful blooms later in the season. If you spot new shoots early, resist the temptation to prune too soon; a late frost could damage regrowth. Hardy shrubs like Cornus and Sambucus can be pruned back hard now to stimulate vibrant new shoots. 

For most plants, the key rule is to cut back to a healthy side shoot or leaf bud. Don't worry about perfection—vigorous new growth is the goal, and nature is forgiving. Pruning also helps keep climbers like Clematis viticella within reach. If left unpruned, they may only flower at the tops, leaving the lower sections bare. Regular maintenance ensures they stay full and vibrant.

Plan for Pest Control: Stay Ahead of Garden Invaders

With the arrival of spring, garden pests are quick to follow. March is the perfect time to get ahead of them, ensuring your plants stay healthy and thriving. Start by keeping a close eye on your plants for early signs of trouble—chewed leaves, discoloured spots, or tiny eggs on the undersides of foliage. Catching pests early makes management much easier.

To minimise the need for chemical treatments, encourage natural predators like ladybirds, lacewings, and birds by planting nectar-rich flowers such as marigolds, calendula, and alyssum. If slugs and snails are a concern, try natural deterrents like crushed eggshells or diatomaceous earth around the base of vulnerable plants. Physical barriers, such as fleece, cloches, or fine netting, can also help protect young seedlings from damage.

If you grow vegetables, consider the benefits of crop rotation for a longer-term solution. Rotating your crops annually disrupts the lifecycle of many soil-borne pests and diseases. If pest populations become overwhelming, organic treatments such as neem oil or insecticidal soap can be applied sparingly to manage outbreaks without harming beneficial insects. By putting thoughtful measures in place now, you’ll create a productive and pest-resilient garden as the season unfolds.

Creating a Wildlife-Friendly Garden This March

As winter fades, many creatures begin to emerge, filling your garden with life and activity. Birds, in particular, are busy in March, building nests and preparing to raise their young. With natural food sources like insects and seeds still scarce, offering high-energy food such as fat balls, peanuts, and sunflower seeds can be a lifeline.

For ground-feeding species like robins and blackbirds, scatter mealworms or suet pellets on the ground. Keep bird feeders clean and well-stocked, as consistency is key to supporting their energy needs. A birdbath with fresh water for drinking and bathing can also be a valuable addition to your garden.

When tidying your garden, tread carefully—many animals, like hedgehogs, bats, and butterflies, are just emerging from hibernation and need time to regain strength. Check compost heaps, log piles, and dense leaf cover for resting wildlife, and avoid disturbing them.

Support pollinators by planting early-flowering plants like primroses, crocuses, and snowdrops. If space allows, leave part of your garden wild with logs or brush piles to provide shelter and foraging spots, creating a haven for local wildlife.

How to Maximise the Benefits of Mulch in Your Garden This Spring

March is the ideal time to apply mulch, helping your garden thrive as the growing season begins. With unpredictable spring weather, mulch stabilises soil temperature, retains moisture, and shields roots from sudden cold snaps. Well-rotted compost, bark chips, or straw are excellent choices, depending on your garden's needs. A 5–8 cm (2–3 inch) layer reduces evaporation, suppresses weeds, and keeps beds looking neat and well-maintained.

Pairing mulch with an irrigation system maximises water efficiency. Mulch slows evaporation, allowing moisture to penetrate deeply and keeping soil hydrated for longer. This reduces watering frequency—which is especially useful during dry spells or windy conditions.

Drip irrigation systems work particularly well with mulch, delivering water directly to the root zone while minimising waste. When applying mulch, leave a small gap around plant stems to prevent rot or fungal issues, especially in damp climates. By combining mulch with a well-maintained irrigation system, you’ll save time, conserve water, and create ideal growing conditions for a thriving garden.

Wrapping Up Your March Garden Checklist

With winter fading and spring on the horizon, now is the perfect time to prepare your garden for the growing season. Checking your irrigation system, applying mulch, and sowing hardy vegetables like radishes and parsnips lay the foundation for success. Starting beetroot and lettuce seeds ensures fresh produce later, while cleaning the greenhouse and repairing garden structures set you up for a productive year. With these preparations in place, you're ready to enjoy all the joys of March gardening!