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If you’re wondering what to plant right now in Preston, you’re not alone. Knowing what grows best each month can make all the difference, especially with the North West’s unpredictable weather. At Let’s Grow Preston , we help local people grow their own food, connect with nature, and build community through gardening. Whether you’ve got an allotment, a garden, or just a few pots, this monthly planting guide will help you get started. What to Plant in March in Preston As spring begins in Preston, the soil starts to warm up, making it the perfect time to sow hardy crops. Vegetables to Plant Now Carrots (early varieties) Beetroot Spinach Onions (sets) Peas Broad beans 👉 Tip: If the ground is still cold or wet, start seeds indoors or in a greenhouse. Herbs to Grow Parsley Chives Coriander (indoors to start) Flowers to Sow Sweet peas Calendula Poppies These not only brighten your space but also attract pollinators! 🐝 Gardening Tips for Preston in Early Spring Gardening in Preston comes with a few challenges, mainly rain and chilly temperatures. Top tips: Warm the soil with cloches or covers Avoid planting in waterlogged soil Start tender plants indoors Keep an eye on late frosts No Garden? No Problem You don’t need a big space to start growing. At Let’s Grow Preston, we support: Community gardens Allotments Container growing at home Even a windowsill can grow herbs or salad leaves! Get Growing with Let’s Grow Preston If you’re new to gardening or want to get more involved locally, Let’s Grow Preston offers: Free or low-cost workshops Volunteering opportunities Support for community growing projects It’s a great way to learn new skills, meet people, and improve your wellbeing. What to Plant Next Month In April, you can start planting even more, including potatoes, lettuce, and more herbs. 👉 Bookmark this guide or check back for monthly updates to stay on track with the growing season in Preston. Why Seasonal Planting Matters Planting at the right time helps: Improve crop success Reduce waste Support local wildlife Make gardening easier for beginners By growing seasonally in Preston, you’re working with nature, not against it. Ready to Start Growing? Whether you’re planting your first seeds or managing an allotment, March is the perfect time to get started. If you’d like support, advice, or a place to grow, connect with Let’s Grow Preston (that's us!) and become part of a thriving local community. Frequently Asked Questions About Gardening in Preston What can I plant right now in Preston? In Preston, what you can plant depends on the time of year. In early spring (March), good options include carrots, spinach, onions, peas, and broad beans. These crops handle cooler temperatures well and are ideal for beginners. When is the best time to start planting in Preston? The growing season in Preston typically begins in early spring (March–April). However, some hardy vegetables can be planted earlier, while tender plants like tomatoes are best started indoors until the risk of frost has passed (usually May). What vegetables grow best in Preston’s climate? Preston’s climate suits a wide range of crops, especially: Root vegetables like carrots and beetroot Leafy greens such as spinach and lettuce Hardy crops like onions and peas These thrive in the cooler, wetter conditions common in the North West of England. How do I deal with rainy weather when gardening in Preston? Rain is common in Preston, so it’s important to: Avoid planting in waterlogged soil Use raised beds or containers for better drainage Protect young plants with covers or cloches Good drainage is key to preventing root rot and poor growth. Can I grow vegetables in Preston without a garden? Yes! Many people in Preston grow successfully using: Containers or pots Window boxes Community gardens or shared spaces Even small spaces can produce herbs, salad leaves, and some vegetables. How can I get involved with Let’s Grow Preston? Let’s Grow Preston offers a range of ways to get involved, including volunteering, workshops, and community gardening projects. It’s a great way to learn new skills, meet people, and contribute to local green spaces. What are the easiest plants for beginners in Preston? If you’re just starting out in Preston, try: Lettuce Radishes Spinach Herbs like parsley and chives These are low-maintenance and grow quickly, making them perfect for building confidence. Should I follow a monthly planting guide in the UK? Yes — following a monthly planting guide helps you grow at the right time for the UK climate. In places like Preston, timing is especially important due to cooler temperatures and seasonal rainfall. Stay Connected With Let’s Grow Preston If you’re interested in community food growing, gardening events, volunteering opportunities or local food projects , our newsletter  is the best way to stay up to date. By signing up, you’ll receive: updates on community gardening projects across Preston invitations to workshops and volunteer sessions seasonal gardening tips and resources news about events and plant sales opportunities to support local food initiatives 🌱 Sign up to our newsletter to stay connected with Let’s Grow Preston and the growing community food movement in Preston.

12th March 2024 Today, we are thrilled to launch two new films created for us by Locality , a national membership network supporting local community organisations. The videos look at the life-changing work carried out by Let’s Grow Preston and our innovative partnership with the Preston Food Network and Preston City Council.  The film includes interviews with community leaders across Preston as well as Cllr Matthew Brown, Leader of Preston City Council, Sarah Threlfall, Deputy Chief Executive of Preston City Council, all discussing the importance of cross sector collaboration to the Preston Model . Our CEO, Annie Wynn BEM, said “This powerful film portrays what Let’s Grow Preston does and the significant and essential impact we have, on individuals and communities across Preston. Our work changes lives. Please watch, share and please donate to Let’s Grow Preston so that we can continue our meaningful and valuable work”.  Sarah Thelfall, Deputy Chief Executive of Preston City Council said: “None of us can make the change we want to on our own. The Preston model is focused on anchor organisations like Let’s Grow Preston, and people like Annie who’ve got the vision, and the energy to really drive change in their communities”.  The film will also be shown on Together TV, which is available on Freeview, at 11am and 5pm and will be accompanied by a “takeover day”. Locality’s social media channels, Facebook and will all be dedicated to highlighting the work of Let’s Grow Preston.  Please tag us in anything you tweet or share on the day.

Courtesy of the lovely people at Lancashire Adult Learning we are delighted to be able to offer a free Introduction to Mindfulness course for all of our wonderful active volunteers and network members. Introduction to Mindfulness Tuesday 19 March 2019 9.30am-12noon St Michael & All Angels Church Hall, Egerton Road, Preston, PR2 1AJ Find out more and book your tickets at

Check out our latest 'Dates for Your Diaries' and give us a shout if you would like to find out more.

The 3rd annual Let's Grow Preston Spring Fair will be held on Saturday 27 April 2019, 10am-4pm at Ashton Walled Gardens, and we are looking for local businesses, crafters, communities organisations and charities to get involved. The fair regularly sees hundreds of people from across the area come to stock up with plants ready for summer and treat themselves to crafts and gifts. We also have a great presence from community members raising funds and awareness for their projects. There is also the rare opportunity for members of the public to visit the amazing Dig In Garden , which will be specially open to celebrate Dig In's 6th birthday. If you would like to find out more or get involved please contact jenny@letsgrowpreston.org , 07535 836281 #fair #event #preston #plantsales

To go along with our new membership of Garden Organic (lots of fantastic heritage seeds will be coming our way soon!) we have arranged a visit to the acclaimed Ryton Organic Gardens , along with a tour of the Heritage Seed Library . Ryton Organic Gardens, based just outside Coventry, have been one of the leading lights of the UK organic gardening scene for many years, showing just how successful, healthy and beautiful your gardens can be when you grow in harmony with nature. The visit will take place on Friday 29 March, meeting at Ashton Walled Gardens for an 8.00am start. We will then head off in the minibus for the approximate 4 hour journey down to Ryton, before returning to arrive back at Ashton around 9.00pm. There is a cost of £6 per person to cover fuel expenses, the cost of entrance into the gardens will be covered by Let's Grow Preston. For more information or to book your place see https://lgp-rytongardens.eventbrite.co.uk or contact us . #organicgardening

Our new leaflet is now available

We are delighted to announce that we are again running our popular free fruit tree and bush pruning course. The course will be held on Saturday 23 February, 10.00am-1.00pm at Grange Park Interpretation Centre. The garden outside the Interpretation Centre has a number of fruit trees and current bushes that have been neglected for some years and so provides the perfect location for a hands-on course showing you exactly how to return all types of fruit trees and bushes to health for excellent crops year on year. For more information and to book your place on this free course please see https://lgp-pruningcourse.eventbrite.co.uk or contact us at letsgrowpreston@gmail.com #pruning #course

Learn how to graft fruit tree cuttings onto root stock in this informal, yet informative course. Our horticultural whizz kid, Chris Taylor, will take you step by step through the process of successful grafting. Date: Saturday 16 February 2019 Time: 10.00am-1.00pm Venue: Grange Community Garden, opposite no. 79 Fir Trees Avenue, Ribbleton, Preston, PR2 6QW The course is free to attend, with just a £5 charge (payable in cash on the day) if you wish to take your newly grafted tree home with you. Find out more and reserve your place at https://lgp-fruittreegrafting.eventbrite.co.uk Please contact us at letsgrowpreston@gmail.com , 07535 836281, for more information or to find out about all of the other ways that you can get involved with Let's Grow Preston. #course #preston #grafting

Good afternoon blog followers and welcome, sadly to the very last blog documenting the various gardening voluntary pursuits young Alex Ashworth is dedicating to. As the title suggests this was my last day at Preston Parks. After 12 months of working with Senior Park Ranger Steve Smith and the team at Ashton Park this marks a transitional period in my life in which I make that brave move into the workplace. Today marked the very last in many ways. It was the last litter pick round Ashton Park, the last time I'll talk to the employed dog walkers and the final time I'll enjoy a nice brew break with Steve. Throughout my time at Preston Parks, Steve has shown continual support and given me the much needed confidence to be able to make today a successful departure. I've also been able to enjoy the peaceful serenity of Ashton Park whilst helping out in both the community and fruit garden. It's been brilliant contributing my time to the peace garden and the horticultural class throughout the spring and summer. The people I've met during this time have been both memorable and unique in their love for nature and their enthusiasm to get the work required done. By March ( 2016 ) I was given the privilege and opportunity to begin writing blogs about my voluntary gardening work. For the past 6 months or so I have covered every area in detail and precision of the organisations I have worked for. It's been fantastic. I recognise and appreciate how hard it may be for Steve now I have gone. But am sure he fully respects my decision and he will welcome me back if I chose to do so in the future at any time. Once again, I thank the team at Preston Parks for the last year and I wish the organisation all the best for the future. Thank you. It's been