Urban Gardener's Journal - March 2025 tips

Yes, that’s right - Spring is just around the corner, and March marks the true kickoff of the growing season! 🌱 What a promising start with sunshine and almost 20 degrees last week. We truly enjoyed the first glimpse of the new season, and hope you made the most out of it too.

With longer days and rising temperatures, it's time to sow seeds for both indoors and outdoors. If you haven’t started yet, don’t worry—this is the perfect month to get growing! Early crops can be sown indoors under grow lights, and if you don’t have the space, you can also start outdoor sowing directly outside or in the greenhouse.

Have you already booked your agendas for 11 May? No better way to kick off the season than with the most exciting event of the year? 🌿 The No Dig Urban Gardening Course with Charles Dowding—LIVE in Amstelveen! Yes, you heard right—Charles will be here in person to teach his revolutionary No Dig methods. Spots are filling up fast, so check out the details below—you won’t want to miss it!

1. What to Sow / Transplant this month?

• Lettuce, with all different varieties and colours to grow and enjoy during summer

• Peas can be direct sown outdoors or in greenhouse, but I still like to sow indoors in module trays to be transplanted in about 3 weeks

• Carrots and Parnsnip can be direct sown from 1st March onwards in greenhouses and from mid-March for outdoor growing. Early sowings in a greenhouse or outdoors give a good succession crop opportunity after harvest

• Beets are a great cool-season crop that can be multi-sown 3-4 per clump for stacked harvest and space optimization

• Tomatoes - the most waited crop of the season! For indoor growers, it is best to start from 1st March as long as you have some heated space to keep them and repot until last frost, while outdoor tomatoes can be sown from mid-March to early April

• Melon and watermelon from mid-March onwards for indoor growing

• Celery and Celeriac are slow to germinate and grow until mid-spring, then  suddenly grow fast. Therefore you can start sowing indoors from March onwards to give them enough time to mature before transplanting outdoors in late spring

• Onions, Spring onions if not already sown

• Continue Herbs, Radish, Broccoli, Cauliflower early March for more stacked harvest

• If you haven’t yet sown fennel, spinach, kohlrabi or turnip, do so ASAP! These crops need time to establish before increasing daylight causes them to bolt in late spring

• Leeks and Chard from mid-to late-March onwards

• Cold-hardy flowers such as Sweet Peas and Borage for outdoors, plus  Sunflowers and Marigold for indoor growing

🌿 Stock up on seeds and get growing! Find everything you need at Backyard Goodness.

Winter harvests in full shape and colour

2. What seeds to get ready for April?

Please be patient for the following crops to not sow too early, cause that little wait can make a difference for the following (in case of frost / colds for later in the season):

• Zucchini

• Cucumber

• Pumpkin

• Sweetcorn

• Summer beans

• Summer herbs such as Basil and flowers such as Zinnia, Sunflowers, Amaranth

3. Jobs to be Done*

• Clear beds and weed removal: As the soil warms up, so do the weeds! Stay ahead by removing weeds when they are still small, just as seedlings, before they root deeply. A quick surface level hoeing, especially on a dry day, or gently hand-pulling now will save you from a much bigger job later

• Propagating and Sowing Seeds Indoors: This month is filled with new vegetables to sow. Start sowing seeds indoors in a warm, well-lit space to give your seedlings a strong start for transplanting later. I like to use a sturdy seed tray, like this one for larger seeds or these Charles Dowding trays for smaller seeds

• Slug Checks: Begin monitoring for slugs as the weather warms up. Lay down slug traps or handpick them from your garden beds, especially in areas where new seedlings will be transplanted. Preventing slug damage early can save your crops later! My favorite two products are slug collars and slug nematodes. These are both natural ways to manage slugs, the latter more expensive but may be worth trying. You can apply the nematodes during March that can reduce the population before your new seedlings

*All links mentioned here are outside Backyard Goodness partners - no affiliations with us, but just my favorite products as a gardener that I can objectively recommend

4. Harvests & Seasonal Chef tips

• One-Dish Orzo: A quick and hearty one-pan meal, perfect for busy days. This orzo dish is packed with flavor and comforting goodness—just toss everything in and let it simmer! Full recipe inspiration here.

• Asian Cabbage Clearance: Got extra cabbage to use up? This vibrant dish is the perfect way to clear out your garden harvest while creating something fresh and delicious. Check out the recipe here.

• Final Pumpkin: The last of the season’s pumpkins deserves a special dish! This recipe highlights the rich, deep flavors of roasted pumpkin in a satisfying meal. See the full inspiration here.

• Baby Broccoli Rice: A simple yet delicious dish featuring tender baby broccoli tossed into fluffy, flavorful rice. A perfect way to highlight early spring greens! Recipe inspiration here.

5. BYG Updates

We are thrilled to announce our upcoming event with Charles Dowding, the pioneer of No Dig gardening! On Sunday, 11 May, Charles will be hosting a special No Dig Urban Gardening Course at MOES Tuinen in Amstelveen. This event is perfect for gardeners, educators, and urban growers of all levels.

The course will cover the principles of No Dig gardening, showing how to save time while achieving abundant harvests. You’ll learn how to set up productive beds, sow seeds, and grow popular summer vegetables like tomatoes and cucumbers. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced gardener, this course will empower you with simple, effective techniques to transform your gardening approach.

We’re also excited to host this event in our brand-new 100m²+ Education Garden, where you’ll get hands-on experience applying the No Dig methods in practice.

Spaces are limited, so make sure to reserve your spot soon!

As a special thank you to the Backyard Goodness community, we’re offering an exclusive 10% discount on tickets with the code BACKYARDGOODNESS10.

This is just the start of an exciting year ahead, filled with new events, garden developments, and more gardening inspiration. Stay tuned for updates—you won’t want to miss what we have planned!

See you in our next newsletter in April 2025!

In case of any questions in the meanwhile, feel free to reach out.