March in the Garden: What a Gardener Should be Doing Now

March in New York is the gardening equivalent of standing in the doorway with your coat half on, peering outside, wondering if you should really step into the world. The sun says yes. The wind off the Hudson says, maybe not. The air carries hints of spring, but the sidewalks still remember winter—and so do we.

This is not failure.
This is process.

And if there’s one thing we believe at Deux Pigeons, it’s that the quiet, in-between moments are where meaning — and beauty — begin.

Walk First, Dig Later (If at All)

March asks you to walk your garden like a poet, not a contractor.

Notice:

• Where water lingers
• Where the sun hits earlier than last month
• What looks lifeless but might simply be considering its options

Do not pull. Do not panic. Plants are not late; they are thoughtful.

This kind of watching—slow, patient, slightly obsessive—is the same way we approach embroidery and print design. You don’t rush a stitch. You let the pattern reveal itself.

Prune Like an Editor, Not a Maniac

March pruning should feel intentional, almost literary.

Yes, prune:

• Summer bloomers (except hydrangea - they bloom on old wood).
• Dead or damaged branches
• Anything clearly no longer participating

No, absolutely not:

• Spring bloomers like lilacs, forsythia, or magnolia (unless you hate joy)

A good rule: if it feels aggressive, stop. Gardens, like sentences, respond better to thoughtful revision.

Clean, But Leave Some Poetry Behind

Yes, tidy paths.
Yes, cut back grasses before new growth appears.

But leave some leaf litter. Beneficial insects are still sleeping, and frankly, a little mess is good for the soul.

If the soil is wet, do nothing.

Instead:

• Add compost gently
• Let worms handle the heavy lifting
• Take notes for later
• Clean your tools
• Sketch out a garden map for future plantings

This is foundational work—the kind that doesn’t photograph well but changes everything. Much like lining a dress or finishing the back of an embroidered napkin.

Seeds Indoors: Tiny Acts of Faith 

March is when spring officially begins… on your windowsill.

Start cool-season seeds indoors and label them (future you is unreliable). Good light matters. Patience matters more.

Warm weather crops: tomatoes, peppers, eggplant.

Cool season hardy greens: broccoli, cabbage, kale, lettuce, swiss chard.

Herbs: basil, parsley, rosemary, marigolds for transplanting late spring.

Watching seeds germinate is a reminder that growth is invisible until it isn’t—which is a lesson we return to often in our creative work.

The Early Bloomers & Their Audacity

Crocus, snowdrops, early daffodils—these are the overachievers of the bulb world.

Take notes:

• Where did they thrive?
• Where did they flop?

Your fall self will thank you when it’s time to plant more spring bulbs.