Just because the weather hasn’t warmed up yet, it doesn’t mean you can’t get a head start in order to have a great garden in the spring!
In fact, you can even plant in March to get ahead, but these 6 things will put you on the fast track to having a beautiful, bountiful garden in the spring!
MARCH GARDENING: HOW TO HAVE A GREAT GARDEN IN THE SPRING
1. MAP YOUR GARDEN
The easiest thing you can do before you start planting is to map out your garden. This way, you’ll know exactly what to plant where and when. Draw a simple map of your garden and divide it into square feet, so you’ll know how many seeds you can plant in that square foot. Below is an example of how many seeds you can plant per square foot for a few different plants. You should also pay special attention to companion plants: which plants can be planted together and which cannot.
| Seedlings Per Square Foot | What to Plant |
| 1 per 2 square feet | watermelon, vining squash |
| 1 | tomato, basil, broccoli, cauliflower, hot peppers |
| 2 | cucumbers |
| 4 | lettuce, other leafy greens |
| 8 | bush beans, snap peas |
| 16 | beets, radishes, turnips, carrots, onions |
2. ORDER SEEDS
Now is the perfect time to start ordering your seeds! If possible, try to get only organic seeds for a healthier crop. Now is the time to plan what you’ll want to grow and how much of it.
3. START SEEDLINGS INDOORS
March is the perfect time to start seedlings indoors so they will be strong enough to harden off and plant outside once its warm enough.
To start seedlings inside, you’ll just need a seedling tray or small containers with drainage holes, sterile seed starter mix, some plastic wrap, and a sunny window. Plant your seeds 1-2 per cell or container in the moistened mix. Cover with plastic wrap. Check each day that the medium is moist. Once seedlings emerge, you can remove the plastic wrap. Provided they get enough water and strong sunlight, your seedlings should be strong enough within the next 2-3 months to go outside.
4. START COMPOSTING
March is the perfect time to set up a compost bin. Choose a spot that’s a little bit further from your home (due to the smells obviously), and throw in all compostable items such as fruit and vegetable leftovers, coffee grounds, and eggshells.
5. BUILD A HOOP HOUSE
A hoop house is a series of parallel hoops that arch over your garden, protecting them from the elements. It’s fairly easy to build and won’t cost you a lot of money. This dome basically acts as a mini greenhouse and can extend your growing season by at least 8 weeks in the spring and fall. By the middle of February, you can plant cold hardy plants in your hoop house, such as arugula, onions, and broccoli.
6. PLANT FALL BULBS
If you forgot to plant your bulbs in the fall, not to worry – you can still plant them now before it’s too late! Fall bulbs need a cold weather period to bloom before the weather gets warm again. As long as the ground is still cold, it’s not too late to plant your fall bulbs!
