In a wet, bright garden where robins sing and trilliums push through leaf litter, monty don could walk the paths and still find work to do: baiting for slugs, sharpening pruners, and planting perennials that can take a light frost. March here feels like a threshold—soft mornings, soil that can be turned, and a short window to give plants a head start.
Monty Don and the March Planting Window
March is a transitional month in many regions, and that shift is central to the advice gardeners are acting on now. Planting early gives perennials a chance to establish deeper, wider roots so they can find nutrients and water to withstand summer heat and potential drought. When planting in March, remember lower temperatures mean lower water needs; water deeply after planting but avoid over-watering while the soil stays cool.
What gardeners should do now
On a practical level, several chores dominate this month. “There is no end to pruning chores this month, ” says Terry Kramer, retired site manager for the Humboldt Botanical Garden and a trained horticulturist and journalist. She lays out a running list: bait for slugs and snails before planting, begin fertilizing roses and deciduous shrubs as growth buds pop, and sharpen pruners to tackle fruit trees, roses, blueberries and ragged perennials. If the soil is too wet to dig, containers offer an alternative for early crops.
Sowing and planting choices follow the same seasonal logic. Some perennials and edibles thrive when given an early start: asparagus is noted as a tough perennial that is hardy in USDA hardiness zones 2 to 9 and benefits from early planting so its edible spears are ready sooner. Azaleas planted early develop a stronger root system before winter dormancy. Other plants mentioned for March planting include pollinator-friendly natives and spring-blooming perennials that can cope with a late frost.
Voices on practical choices and container gardening
Gardeners working in limited space can take heart. RHS: “They grow well in containers and take up little space, with compact varieties reaching only 20–30cm (8–12in) tall. ” That container guidance opens options for dahlias, chillies, and compact vegetables often begun after the last hard frost, while ranunculus and anemones reward patient care with spring blooms within months.
Beyond plant selection, Kramer emphasizes soil and timing: feed the soil with natural fertilizer mixes such as alfalfa, bone meal and composted manures to encourage beneficial microbes, and time fertilizer applications just before rain when possible. For seeds, peas, spinach, chard and onions can be sown as the soil begins to warm, while carrots may still be prone to erratic germination if sown too early.
Closing the circle: the garden scene renewed
Back in the garden, the work goes on—mulching, deadheading, and clearing clutter to deter slugs and other pests. That same scene of robins and trilliums now holds added shape: newly planted perennials with roots set deep, containers brimming with compact varieties, and pruning that has already opened space for spring growth. Monty don may be only a name in the headline, but the reality is communal: the steady, seasonal tasks gardeners face in March are the human thread linking these recommendations to the soil, one garden at a time.
