What seeds to sow in MARCH IN IRELAND
March is one of the most exciting months in the Irish garden. If you're wondering what seeds to sow in March in Ireland, here is what we are planting at Fat Tomato this season.
As the days longer and the light lingers a little later each evening, March brings a welcome sense of optimism to the garden. The darker days of winter are behind us, and the air feels lighter, filled with the promise of spring.
After the awful, dark, wet days of February, blue skies are becoming a more frequent sight, and the soil is slowly warming up. It is that moment in the year when the garden wakes up again, and we feel the pull to get outside, prepare beds and sow the first real crops of the season.
At Fat Tomato, we are seeing the first signs of life everywhere - early leaves of wild garlic, broad beans and garden peas pushing through the soil. Tender rhubarb and sea kale are emerging again, and our peach trees in the polytunnel are just beginning to blossom, which always feels like a milestone in the season.
With brighter days ahead, we will spend far more time outside this month. March is a wonderful moment to start sowing seeds and planning the garden for the months ahead.
Below is what we are sowing and working on in the garden this month.
Here’s our list for March:
Peas and Broad Beans
March is the perfect time to sow peas and broad beans directly outdoors. If you didn’t manage to sow them in January or February, do not worry - there is still plenty of time to get them started.
Broad beans, such as Aquadulce, perform very well in Irish gardens as they tolerate colder conditions. Peas like Irish Green, Rondo, and Golden Sweet are also excellent for early sowing and will cope well with the unpredictable weather of early spring.
We usually grow a few inside the polytunnel and sow additional rows outdoors during March to stagger the harvest.
Early Potatoes
Once St Patrick’s Day passes, it is usually time to plant early potatoes.
If you have been chitting seed potatoes over the past few weeks, they are ready to plant. We often grow varieties like Charlotte and Orla for early harvests.
In the polytunnel, we plant potatoes in large deep pots and gradually cover the stems with compost as they grow. With a little luck, the first new potatoes can be ready by May.
If you are looking for organic seed potatoes, Fruit Hill Farm has an excellent range.
Herbs
March is a great time to begin sowing herbs indoors.
We start parsley, thyme, coriander, chervil and basil in modules inside the polytunnel. These herbs grow steadily once the weather warms and become staples in the kitchen throughout the year.
Hardy herbs such as chives and mint can also be started now and moved outdoors once the soil temperature improves.
Herbs are some of the most rewarding plants to grow — they take up little space but add incredible flavour to everyday cooking.
Chillies and Aubergines
March is the last good moment to start chillies and aubergines indoors, as they need a long growing season.
We sow varieties like Lemon Drop and Serrano chillies and Black Beauty aubergines. They need warmth and plenty of light, so a heated propagator or sunny windowsill works well.
Keep the compost moist but not overly wet, as young seedlings are sensitive to excess moisture.
Tomatoes
March is when we really begin sowing our tomato seeds.
At Fat Tomato, we grow over 100 varieties of heritage tomatoes in the polytunnel each year, with a few grown outdoors depending on the season.
We begin with early-ripening varieties in late February and continue sowing through April, ensuring a steady harvest throughout the summer and into autumn.
Some of our favourites include:
Brad’s Atomic Grape
Blue Betty
San Marzano
Citrina
Purple Prince
Yellow Clementine
Ox Heart
Latah
But we are always experimenting with new varieties — always searching for that perfect tomato flavour.
If you would like to grow something unusual this year, you can browse our heritage tomato seeds here.
Sweet Peas
Sweet peas thrive when sown early in cool conditions.
We sow them in deep modules or pots to give their roots space to develop before planting out. With their beautiful scent and colour, sweet peas are one of our favourite flowers to grow in the garden.
Winter Greens
Hardy greens like kale, spinach and Swiss chard continue to thrive through March.
These crops provide fresh leaves for soups, salads and stir-fries. Kale in particular becomes sweeter after a frost and often grows vigorously again once spring arrives.
If the plants are still productive, we give them a small feed to encourage fresh growth.
And remember — when kale begins to flower, those tender shoots are delicious to eat.
Root Crops
March is the time to harvest the last of the winter root crops.
Parsnips, carrots and Jerusalem artichokes become sweeter after a winter in the soil. Once the ground warms, they begin to sprout again, so it is best to harvest them before that happens.
Rhubarb
Rhubarb is one of the earliest signs that spring has arrived.
If you forced rhubarb earlier in the season, you can now remove the covers and begin harvesting the first stalks. With a little care at the start of the season, rhubarb will reward you with plenty of stems for pies, crumbles and jams.
Prune Fruit Trees
If you have not yet pruned apple or pear trees, March is the final window before the growing season begins.
Remove dead or crossing branches and open the centre of the tree to improve airflow and sunlight.
Avoid pruning stone fruits such as peaches, cherries and plums at this time of year as they are more susceptible to disease when pruned early.
Prune Fruit Bushes
As the raspberry canes, blackcurrants, and blueberry bushes start to form buds again, preparing to grow new leaves, we work through pruning them and removing dead and damaged branches.
We also select some old wood (you can identify them by the colour) to allow new branches to grow.
Prepare the Soil
March is also about preparation.
Clear winter debris, add compost or mulch and begin preparing beds for the season ahead. Good soil preparation now makes the growing months far easier later.
Seeds to Try This Month
When sowing seeds in early spring, it is always worth planting several different varieties rather than just one.
Each variety brings something different to the garden - flavour, colour, harvest time and resilience.
You can explore our heritage seed collection here, where we offer over 60 chemical-free varieties gathered from our own garden each season.