In March the sowing work for the spring vegetable garden begins, both in the open field and in the seedbed. In the open field, with drier soil, it is easier to carry out tillage of the land. In addition, the temperature in the surface layers is also more conducive to seed germination.
In the seedbed, however, the sowing in March they are simpler, as protection from low temperatures should only be done at night. The sowing of this month also affects the long-cycle vegetables that will become part of our garden for the months to come.
So let’s see what sow in March directly in the garden or passing through the seedbed. All without forgetting to take a look at the lunar calendar of the month.
What to sow in the garden in March
In March, many sowings can be carried out directly in the garden soil. Let’s see the main ones together.
Sow leafy vegetables
First, we can plant the seeds of two leafy vegetables much loved by gardeners, namely the chard he spinach. There sowing technique it is broadcasting, with light burial of the seed, using a rake, and the subsequent thinning of the shoots, they leave a seedling every 5-10 cm.
Other direct sowings are those of rocket, valerianella and chives. In this case it is not even necessary to thin out the shoots, as they are seedlings that grow well even very close together.
Sow legumes
In case you have not already done so in the previous months, in March you can still sow some plants of the botanical family from the legumes. Specifically we are talking about: peas, peanuts, chickpeas, lentils, lupins.
We are instead a bit late for sow the beansas they tend to spoil easily with the heat (which they will encounter at the time of the summer harvest, if sown in March).
In the warmer areas we can instead start sowing the green beans And sow beanscrops that instead take advantage of the mild climate.
Sow potatoes
The month of March is the best time for sowing potatoesone of the crops that gives greater satisfaction in the home garden.
After carefully prepared the soil, seed potatoes are planted in furrows. Basically, the potato is placed 10/15 cm deep in the groove and this is then closed.
Planting distances are 25-30cm between potatoes, with 60cm between rows.
Is crucial respect crop rotations and do not sow potatoes in the same plot of the garden of the previous season. By not respecting the rotation, there is a greater risk of infestations of Colorado beetle And potato moth.
Other vegetables to be sown in March with direct sowing
Other vegetables to be sown in March directly in the garden are carrots, red turnips, radishes. These are plants that produce their fruit swollen beneath the ground. For a good success of the sowing (therefore of the cultivation) it is necessary prepare the soil working it finely, at least in the superficial portion (first 20-25 cm). In too compact and / or clayey soils the underground part is unable to swell. To make them more suitable, one can therefore think of adding and amending river sand and peat to the soil. Also in this case, sowing is carried out by broadcasting. As soon as the shoots have emerged, thinning must be carried out.
What to sow in March in seedbeds
The seedbed of March it is really rich, as you can sow both head vegetables in containers (various types of lettuce, smooth endive, puntarellaetc.) than long-cycle vegetables of a certain consistency.
Long cycle vegetables to be sown in March
Let’s take the example of the cultivation of tomatoes, which all the farmers practice in their own garden. From the moment of sowing, a seedling takes 35 to 45 days to be ready for transplanting. By sowing on March 1st, therefore, we will have seedlings available in the second half of April. The question you have to ask yourself is this: I can plant tomatoes in the garden on April 15? If the answer is positive, as the soils are warm enough and there is no return of frost in the area, you can proceed with sowing in March, in the seedbed. If, on the other hand, your past experience suggests that it is risky to do a transplant in the field in April, then it is better to postpone the time of sowing by a month.
We can do the same for the other long-cycle vegetables to be sown: zuchinis, cucumbers, pumpkin, eggplant, chili Peppers, peppers.
Sow aromatic plants
In addition to greens and vegetables, March is an excellent time for sowing aromatic and medicinal plants. The aromatics are: basil, parsley, peppermint, Origan.
The officinalis, on the other hand, are: thyme, lavender, marjoram, sage, dill, lemon balm.
Trick to make no mistake
Growth in seedbeds usually takes place in polystyrene honeycomb containers or, in any case, in limited ground spaces. In practice, when the plant has reached a certain size, it must be immediately transplanted into the garden, otherwise there is a real risk that the roots will be damaged and the plant will perish. To lengthen the residence time in the seedbed, however, you can opt for sowing in small pots of 10-14 cm in diameter. This way we will have more time to keep our seedlings protected before transplanting.
Obviously, sowing in pots is more expensive in terms of the quantity of soil and the need for irrigation, light and space, all parameters to be considered for an excellent sowing success.
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