BBC Gardeners’ World presenter Monty Don has shared essential advice for March
Sophie Buchan Money and Lifestyle Writer
11:31, 02 Mar 2026Updated 11:32, 02 Mar 2026
Monty Don shared his tips and tricks in a video(Image: Colin McPherson/Corbis via Getty Images)
Renowned gardening expert and Gardeners’ World presenter Monty Don has highlighted a particularly important task for March. And with the month now here, people should prepare to get started.
As part of a “monthly gardening checklist”, BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine has recommended that now is the perfect moment to plan your garden tasks. The website encourages gardeners to “tidy up borders” and “remove established and newly-germinating weeds.”
In a video featured on the website, Monty Don demonstrates the hand-weeding technique. His step-by-step guide reveals that this March task is likely more straightforward than you might imagine.
He explained: “The important thing to realise is that weed is simply a plant in the wrong place.”
Monty Don is a much-loved gardening expert and there are some jobs that you may want to start now(Image: Getty)
As he examines weeds amongst peonies in the video, he points out nettles, dandelions and chickweed growing nearby – all classified as weeds. To eliminate them, “you need an implement of some sort.”
Showing a small, curved implement, he emphasises: “Quite honestly, anything will do. What matters is getting in there.”
He uses the sharp tool to carefully work beneath the plant and extract its roots, reports the Mirror.
Whilst some weeds take time to emerge, others can establish themselves rapidly and spread extensively. Regarding chickweed, specialists at the RHS caution that gardeners must bear in mind “chickweed seeds spread easily on muddy boots and in topsoil and garden compost, so pay attention to good garden hygiene, and avoid moving soil from a patch where you have allowed chickweed to grow.”
When it comes to dandelions, the RHS advises that gardeners with borders and beds “might want to limit their numbers if they are growing small or young plants that could be swamped or outcompeted by dandelions.”
And touching on stinging nettles, the experts say there is actually some “good news” as people “can easily control the spread of stinging nettles by deadheading and removing seedlings.”
It’s officially March – let’s get started!(Image: creacart via Getty Images)
Monty says: “It’s very important to do it now so they don’t seed and they don’t take over. The other thing about weeds is to do it a little bit at a time. Do one metre properly, and that’s far better than doing 10 metres half-heartedly.”
When dealing with these troublesome plants, the Gardeners’ World website also suggests “clear old crops and weeds from the veg plot, then dig over the soil, mixing in compost as you go.”
Another task for March is to “dig over any gaps in borders, removing the roots of perennial weeds.” You can watch Monty Don’s guide to weeding here.
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