TV gardener Alan Titchmarsh says March is the perfect time to get ahead in the garden, sharing five key tips to prepare for spring
Daniel Windham Assistant Editor, Trendswatch
12:13, 18 Mar 2026
Alan Titchmarsh on ITV’s Love Your Garden(Image: ITV1)
TV gardener Alan Titchmarsh has urged gardeners to make the most of March, describing it as one of the busiest and most important months of the year.
Sharing his seasonal advice, the gardening expert explained that now is the moment to get ahead before spring fully takes hold. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Gardening with Alan Titchmarsh , the Gardeners’ World star listed five key jobs that all gardeners should do this month.
He said: “March is a great time to start preparing your garden for spring. To help you, I’m counting down the key tasks I do in March, taking you through each one, step by step.”
Alan, 76, highlighted that there is a long list of jobs to tackle, from improving soil to sowing seeds, adding: “From adding soil improver to your borders to planting new potatoes to sowing your favourite seeds, this is one of the busiest months for us gardeners, and if you garden along with me, I’ll help you get the best out of your outdoor space.”
However, among all the seasonal jobs, he singled out one in particular—planting early potatoes—as a must-do task right now. The gardening expert explained why timing is key for gardeners hoping for a productive harvest. “If you love new potatoes smothered in butter, this is the perfect time to plant your earies,” he said.
Alan has been getting to work in his new garden(Image: Youtube)
Planting them in March can yield results surprisingly quickly, with Alan noting: “Planting early potatoes now will give you new potatoes from mid-June through July.”
He advised gardeners to prepare their potatoes before planting through a process known as chitting. He said: “You can buy them in packets at the garden center. And I like to chit them before planting. That’s arranging them in a light, warm place so the shoots begin to grow before planting. That way they crop earlier.”
For those with outdoor space, he recommends a traditional approach: “I usually plant them in rows on my veg patch. First I dig a trench, then add some soil improver before placing in the tubers about a foot apart. I then pull back the earth over the top.”
But even those with limited space can get involved. Alan added: “If your garden’s small, you can also plant them in special potato sacks. Make sure they have drainage holes in the base and roll them halfway down. Then add peat-free, multi-purpose compost and pop the potatoes in.”
Alan Titchmarsh(Image: ITV)
He explained that the process doesn’t end there, encouraging gardeners to continue tending the plants as they grow: “As the shoots begin to grow, add more compost. You’ll be amazed how many potatoes you’ll get come summer.”
Alongside planting potatoes, the Love Your Weekend star also shared four other essential gardening tips for March. These include mulching your beds and borders to improve soil health, planting summer flowering bulbs in pots for colour later in the year, sowing your favourite flowers from seed to get a head start on the growing season, and creating a spring planter to brighten outdoor spaces straight away.
Despite the busy schedule, the presenter encouraged gardeners to take a moment to enjoy the seasonal shift. He said: “And finally, take some time to sit back and enjoy your garden. The soil is beginning to warm up. The shoots are coming and proving to us all. It’s been such a long wait, but spring is just around the corner.”
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