Peter Dowdall: Don't be fooled by the pet days of March and early April

What happens at night still matters more than what happens at midday. Temperatures are still fluctuating, and cold snaps, even light frosts, are still very much part of the picture

Fri, 27 Mar, 2026 - 16:48

Peter Dowdall

There's a particular kind of day we get in March that can catch even experienced gardeners off guard. The sky clears, the sun has a bit of strength to it, and suddenly the whole place feels full of life and new possibilities. You venture outside without a coat, get stuck into something and spend a bit longer outside than you intended, and before you know it, enthusiasm runs away with you, and you’re thinking, right, today’s the day to get going.

After months of cold, wet weather and short days, it's harder to resist the temptation to get more stuck in. A bit of warmth feels like it’s here to stay.

But these pet days can give us a false sense of where we actually are in the season, and this is where March and early April can be deceptive.

The season hasn’t fully turned yet, and what happens at night still matters more than what happens at midday. Temperatures are still fluctuating, and cold snaps, even light frosts, are still very much part of the picture.

Every year, I see the same thing, and for years I fell into the same trap: a few fine days arrive, and suddenly there’s a rush. Seed trays are brought outside, tender plants are moved out of shelter, garden centres fill with colour, and that colour quickly makes its way home, straight into pots and beds that they are not quite ready for.

It’s completely understandable, but don’t let the spring promise get the better of you.

There’s a temptation now to sow all our seeds directly outside; it feels like the right time, but most seeds still need a bit more warmth and consistency than what's still on offer. Cold nights will slow germination right down, add in damp conditions, and many seeds will simply fail.

Do sow seeds by all means, but continue to give them a bit of protection for now. A windowsill, a greenhouse, or even a simple covered tray will make a huge difference.

The same applies to young plants and anything even slightly tender. Dahlias, for example, might be starting to show signs of life in pots or storage. It can be very tempting to move them out into the garden, but one cold night can set them back significantly.

When it comes to summer bedding, the hint is in the name; these are plants for summer conditions. Warm soil, mild nights, and consistency, we’re within touching distance, but we're not there yet.

Even hardy plants can be affected if they are pushed too soon. Growth that is encouraged in a brief warm spell can be damaged when temperatures drop again, leaving plants slightly stalled just when they should be building strength.

In many gardens, especially in heavier soils, moisture levels are still high. Working the soil too early can do more harm than good, damaging its structure and making it harder for plants to thrive later on.

Garden centres are at their most tempting now. They are bulging at the seams and only too keen for the season to start in earnest. Fresh stock, bright colours, and healthy new plants are all around, just calling to be brought home. Please don’t think I’m any kind of garden killjoy, far from it. What I am advising, though, is not to rush home with the wrong thing. Far better still to look for some shrubs and hardy perennials that will feel right at home immediately and which will simply shrug off any frosts which appear over the next few weeks. Look at plants like skimmias in full bloom right now or the ever-giving perennial wallflowers. These are fully hardy and will bring colour not just this spring but every spring and in the case of the wallflowers throughout the summer too.

March and early April are a period between seasons; it offers glimpses of what’s to come, but it doesn’t deliver it just yet. If you treat it as early summer, you’ll run into trouble, but if you treat it as spring, you’ll get far better results.

Use these brighter days to get your garden in order rather than trying to push it forward too quickly. Finish any pruning that still needs doing, tidy edges and define beds. This is the ideal time to start improving your soil, and adding a good biochar-based feed now will help build structure, support soil life and set everything up for stronger growth in the months ahead.

If you have lawns, give them their first cut when conditions allow, but keep the blades high and avoid working on soft ground.