The Florists Garden What to do in March

Garden Preparation & Maintenance

• Clear & Prepare Beds—Remove winter mulch, weeds, and any remaining plant debris to prepare the soil for new plantings.
• Improve Soil – Add well-rotted compost or manure to enrich the soil before planting.
• Build Supports – Install plant supports for tall or sprawling flowers like sweet peas, delphiniums, and snapdragons before they need them.
• Lay Pathways & Edging—Define growing areas with mulch, gravel, or woodchip paths to prevent weeds and facilitate maintenance.
• Set Up Watering Systems – Check irrigation or set up soaker hoses before the soil dries out.
• Repaint any woodwork – I give any of my raised bed woodwork or plant labels a lick of paint if needed before anything starts to grow in them.

Sowing & Planting

• Direct Sow Hardy Annuals – If the soil is workable and temperatures are mild, sow hardy annuals like larkspur, cornflowers, and poppies directly into prepared beds.
• Sow Half-Hardy Annuals Under Cover – Start seeds of cosmos, snapdragons, ammi, and scabiosa indoors in trays or an unheated greenhouse.
• Start Dahlias & Other Tender Perennials – Pot up dahlia tubers in a greenhouse or sunny windowsill to encourage early growth before planting out in late spring.
• Plant Spring Bulbs – If not already done, plant any remaining tulip or allium bulbs for late spring blooms.
• Divide Perennials – Lift and split perennials like asters, rudbeckia, and echinacea to increase stock and reinvigorate plants.

What to Sow This Month

Indoors (in trays, pots, or modules):

• Cosmos
• Antirrhinum (Snapdragons)
• Ammi majus (Bishop’s flower)
• Scabiosa (Pincushion flower)
• Rudbeckia
• Zinnias (later in the month)
• Daucus carota (wild carrot)
• Statice (Limonium)
• Celosia
• Helichrysum (Strawflower)
• Lathyrus (Sweet Peas)

Outdoors (direct sow in well-prepared soil):

• Larkspur
• Cornflowers
• Nigella (Love-in-a-Mist)
• Poppies (Shirley & Icelandic)
• Bupleurum
• Godetia
• Orlaya grandiflora

Extra Tips for March

• Keep an eye on late frosts – have fleece ready to protect seedlings and young plants.
• Prune autumn-sown sweet peas to encourage bushier growth.
• Pinch out young cosmos and snapdragons when they have 3-4 sets of true leaves to promote strong, branching plants.
• Keep on top of slug and snail control as they love tender new growth!

March is all about setting the stage for a season full of flowers—getting these jobs done now will pay off in a few months when your cutting garden bursts into bloom! If you would like a more in depth guide on how to grow beautiful cut flowers - head over to my online shop to purchase my new ebook - A Florist's Garden