Jobs to do in the garden in March — 8 key tasks to prepare your garden for the growing season ahead

The sun is out, spring bulbs are beginning to flower, and it's finally time to start thinking about jobs to do in the garden in March to kick off the growing season ahead.

Whether you're wondering what to plant in March or simply hoping to crack on with some general tidying and maintenance tasks, there's plenty to get your trowel stuck into this month.

We've rounded up the top March garden jobs to add to your list, with tips from a panel of trusted garden experts to help you along the way.

What you'll need

1. Tidy up borders

Giving your garden borders a general tidy-up is one of the most important jobs to do in the garden in March.

Remove any debris and spent plants to make space for new varieties you're planning on planting over the coming months. You’ll also need to trim back the old growth of perennials and grasses.

‘Cut back anything that you may have left over winter for wildlife, frost protection, or simply because you didn’t get round to it,’ advises gardening expert and author Sarah Raven.

‘Removing old foliage will make way for new spring growth and keep your borders full of life.’

Sarah Raven

Sarah’s love of gardening extends to all areas, from growing cut flowers and delicious vegetables from seed, to designing stunning gardens packed full of variety, colour, and scent. Always with a focus on helping the environment and biodiversity, Sarah’s gardens are havens for birds, bees, and other pollinators. Her popular gardening podcast ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’ has achieved 4.3 million downloads. She’s published 14 books and runs sarahraven.com, which services over 600,000 customers.

2. Prune shrubs before it's too late

Pruning is another crucial March garden job, because we’re fast approaching the end of the pruning window for many shrubs.

‘Pruning is a great way to keep your shrubs looking healthy come spring,’ says Jamie Shipley, gardening expert and managing director of Hedges Direct. ‘March may be the last chance to get the job done before new growth begins, so it’s one thing to get ticked off your list.’

Jamie says you can prune most summer-flowering deciduous shrubs like hardy fuchsia and winter-flowering deciduous shrubs such as Jasminum nudiflorum this month. Late-flowering shrubs like clematis (depending on its pruning group) can also be tackled in March — in fact, Monty Don says pruning shrubs is one of the most important jobs to do in the garden in March.

3. Plant bare root roses

March is the perfect time to learn how to plant roses — so if you’re looking for the best cottage garden plants, or simply hoping to grow potted roses for the first time, now’s your chance to order in a few bare root plants.

‘Choosing the right bare root rose for you is the first step,’ says Liam Beddall, senior rose consultant at David Austin Roses. ‘With countless options, from climbing roses and hybrid teas to floribundas and shrub roses, there are plenty of varieties to suit every taste.’

You can shop a beautiful range of bare root roses at David Austin.

4. Plant summer bulbs

Roses aren’t the only flowering plants you can add to your garden this month — there are a myriad of bulbs you can plant in March for beautiful blooms over the summer months.

Lilies, gladioli and crocosmias are just some of the summer bulbs you can plant this month.

5. Sow vegetable seeds

There are plenty of vegetables to sow in March for beginners and seasoned gardeners alike, so it's a brilliant opportunity to stock up on seeds and get sowing.

'March is the ideal time in the UK to start planting a wide range of vegetables, many of which are so easy to grow that they are perfect for novice gardeners to start with,' says Lucie Bradley, gardening and greenhouse expert from Easy Garden Irrigation.

Think peas (personally, I love pea 'Hurst Green Shaft', available at Crocus), spring onions, beetroot, and a range of other popular vegetables. You'll need to start some indoors, depending on the weather in your area, so always check the instructions on the seed packet before sowing.

6. Divide summer-flowering perennials

Planting isn't the only way to increase the number of plants in your garden this month — dividing perennials is another task to add to your list of March garden jobs.

'Dividing plants can promote new growth and fill in any gaps in your bushes,' says Jamie from Hedges Direct. 'Dividing summer-flowering perennials like lavender and potentilla in early spring usually provides the best results.'

Mid-March is the sweet spot, according to Jamie. 'This marks the beginning of the growing season, so dividing during this time will allow your perennials to establish themselves more quickly in their new home,' he explains.

7. Mulch beds and borders

Mulching is one of the best-kept secrets in the garden world, and March is the prime time to try it out for yourself.

Not only can mulch protect plants from late frosts, but it's also a great way to give your soil a boost before the growing season properly begins.

'March is a great time to mulch as it improves your soil before weeds have the chance to pop up,' explains Sarah Raven. 'This adds lots of nutrients to your soil and helps retain moisture, leading to healthier plants throughout the summer.'

This Strulch from Amazon is a great choice for frost protection and enriching the soil — or, for a general soil improver, you could opt for Westland John Innes Peat-Free Multi-Purpose Compost from B&Q.

8. Repair fences and outbuildings

If you're thinking about garden maintenance in March, it's worth taking a closer look at the condition of your fencing, walls and outbuildings after a winter of weathering.

Now is the time to fix any damage caused over the winter months, whether that's learning how to fix a fence or felt a shed roof.

FAQs

What are allotment jobs for March?

Besides giving your allotment a general tidy and preparing the soil for this year's crops, there are plenty of vegetables you can plant this month.

'Hardy vegetables like onions, broad beans, and spinach are a great addition to any gardener's vegetable patch,' says Richard King, garden expert at Dino Decking. 'They are incredibly resilient, making them perfect for late winter sowing.'

There are plenty of March lawn care tips to brush up on, too...