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5 vegetables to plant in March for an early summer harvest
These varieties are ready to be picked in just a few weeks – including certain 'lightning fast' salad leaves
Beds and borders are beckoning – ready for the season's first sowing of fresh vegetables. As the soil begins to warm and daylight hours lengthen, early spring creates ideal conditions for plants to grow. It's the perfect moment to get a head start on crops that can be ready to harvest in just a few weeks.
"March is one of the most important sowing months for gardeners as the soil starts warming up and daylight increases quickly," says Morris Hankinson, Managing Director of Hopes Grove Nurseries. "Before sowing directly in the soil, make sure the soil is workable and not frozen or waterlogged. Daytime temperatures should consistently be seven to 10 degrees celsius."
Below, we've rounded up five fast-growing vegetables you can sow outdoors now for a rewarding early-summer harvest.
Other gardening jobs to tackle in March:
- 6 plants to prune in March before it's too late
- 27 easy planting wins for March
- Everything to plant, prune and prepare in the garden this month
Lettuce
March is the perfect time to sow lettuce under a cloche as "cooler conditions produce tender leaves without bolting in the heat," says Morris. Sow thinly and cover only lightly with soil. Baby leaves will be ready to harvest in just three weeks, while full lettuce heads will be ready in six to eight weeks.
Potatoes
A British kitchen staple, potatoes can also be sown now, however, they must be chitted, which means letting the seeds germinate inside before planting them outdoors.
Toby Buckland, a presenter on Gardeners' World, recommends planting tubers 10 to 15cm deep and 30cm apart, as well as earthing up soil around them as they grow to prevent them going green. Harvest in 10 to 12 weeks.
Rocket
"A must sow and grow for me is rocket for its vitality packed and peppery leaves," Toby says. "It loves the cool, damp start to the year. If you wait until the sweltering heat of summer, the plant panics, thinks its time is up and 'bolts' – it runs to seed."
Sow seeds in a small row every two weeks to maintain a steady supply and keep them well-watered. Rocket is "lightning fast", giving you baby leaves in just three to four weeks.
Beetroot
Beetroot is a hardy vegetables, making it an ideal choice to plant in the still-fickle early-spring weather. "Beetroot is fairly straightforward to grow and combined with its relatively short growing period is a nice crop to start out with," says Lucie Bradley from Easy Garden Irrigation.
Soak the seeds in warm water for 30 to 60 minutes to speed up the germination process before sowing them outdoors. The roots will be ready to harvest in just five to seven weeks.
Interested? Read our full guide on how to grow beetroot.
Spring onions
As their name suggests, spring onions are another great vegetable to plant at this time of year – in contrast to onions, which require a long growing period, they're ready in just a few weeks.
There's many varieties to choose from, says Lucy, but the fastest-growing one is Apache, which can be harvested after just six weeks. "These have a deep purple bulb, dark green leaves, a mild flavour and gorgeous crisp texture," she adds. Perfect for an early summer salad.
Wanda Sachs is the Multiplatform Writer for Country Living and House Beautiful, exploring the latest in gardening, wildlife and sustainable living alongside interiors and property. She is particularly interested in human-interest stories, the intersection of design and pop culture, and the evolving relationship between urban and rural life. Previously, she served as Associate Editor at The Berliner in Berlin, where she reported on culture and fashion. Wanda studied English and German at the Goethe University Frankfurt and Exeter University.
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