03/25/2026
Today in the Garden
It's the end of March, some nights are still getting below 0C by several degrees. It is much too early for sowing most things into the ground. It can be done, it's really all about creating a micro climate. Here are a few tips to get a head start. (Assuming that you don't have a greenhouse).
You can use the side of a building or hedge to help trap the heat and grow plants there, but that isn't always an available space.
Hot frames or cold frames are an excellent way to start seeds in late winter and early spring. Frames are placed over the soil and then a glass, poly or plexiglass section is used as a lid, working the same way a greenhouse does. ( we used old windows but found they would break and we were left picking shards out of the spinach)
A hot frame is when manure or compost is added to a frame several inches below the regular soil depth, then covered over with soil. The heat that the manure/compost produces as it breaks down helps to heat the top layer of soil and the lid helps to trap it in the frame.
A cold frame is basically the same thing without the composting material providing heat. It relies on the sun to heat the frame.
Both need to be in a sunny location and will do best if you can either pile soil around the outside or add straw or a mulch to cut down on wind and to insulate the frame. Seeds can be sown directly into the soil and will allow for early crops of spinach, beets, lettuce, kale and other cold hardy plants.
Another way to start seeds directly in the garden is by using a Cloche/ glass bell that also acts as a greenhouse. I did see a post of someone using glass punch bowls from a thrift store for this.
Another trick is to use a tarp to heat up the soil. So that when the nights stay above 3 C you are ready to sown seeds, just remember to cover them with a row cover to prevent frost getting to them.
Some seeds, such as sweetpeas and parsnips can go into the ground by the end of March. They will germinate in a couple of weeks and just need a little lose mulch around them for protection.
I hope that helps or at least gives you some ideas of what to try for early seeding.
