Seeds to Start in March
Have you been wondering what seeds to start in March? Starting seeds can seem like a constant task at this point in the year, but the payoff is worth it! With the grocery budget slimming that comes with a food garden, the beauty from a blooming backyard flower spot, and the attractive foliage from freshly grown fronds, getting a jump-start on the growing season is a fantastic idea!
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Planning Which Seeds to Start in March is Important
Working in the garden is more and more exciting as the temperatures continue to climb. With spring mere weeks away, the impending burst of energy and new growth has us all eager for our gardening gloves!
For some, the warmer weather has already made outdoor transplanting and direct-sowing a viable option. For others, the continuing threat of frost or hard freezes means starting seeds indoors is a good way to get started gardening while waiting on the weather to cooperate. It’s important to know which zone you live in to know how to plan your garden most effectively.
Know Your Zone
Within the continental United States, there are 8 different hardiness zones to contend with. (Zones 3-10) If you are not sure which zone you live in within the continental United States, this is a great website to help you figure that out! For all our international gardening friends, this website will help to determine which zone is applicable for you
Once a zone is identified, knowing what the last expected frost date for each zone is will help determine the best time to either start seeds indoors or to direct sow into the garden soil itself. There are always exceptions, but for the most part, these dates run true most often, and is a larger range as opposed to an exact date to allow for variances in weather patterns.
Last Expected Frost Date
Zone 1 June 1st – June 30th
Zone 3 & 4 May 1st – May 31st
Zone 5, 6 & 7 March 30th – April 30th
Zone 8 February 28th – March 30th
Zone 9 January 30th – February 28th
Zone 10 January 1st – January 31st
Zone 3 and 4
It is too cold to direct sow outdoors still. It is finally getting warm enough, however, to start a good number of seedlings indoors. It will still be awhile until the ground outside will be ready to be worked for transplanting, but getting things started now will help increase the length of the growing season.
Indoor Seedlings:
- Cabbage
- Broccoli
- Brussels Sprouts
- Cauliflower
- Beets
- Carrots
- Swiss Chard
- Parsnips
- Radishes
- Onions
- Scallion
- Early Potatoes
- Early Peas
- Broad Beans
- Leeks
Herbs
- Parsley
- Dill
Flowers
- Marigolds
- Asters
- Hostas
- Primrose
- Zinnias
- Salvia
- Petunia
At the end of the month, start:
- Spinach
- Lettuce
- Eggplant
- Tomato
- Pepper
Order Seeds for Zone 3 & 4
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Zone 5 and 6
Transplant (as long as soil is able to be worked) and cover with floating row covers for a few weeks:
- Cabbage
- Broccoli
- Early Onion
Direct sow these seeds and cover beds with horticultural fleece if hard frosts persist:
Vegetables
- Beets
- Brussels Sprouts
- Carrots
- Swiss Chard
- Parsnips
- Radishes
- Onions
- Scallion
- Early Potatoes
- Early Peas
- Broad Beans
Herbs
- Parsley
- Dill
Start these seeds indoors:
Vegetables
- Leeks
- Artichoke
- Celery
- Spinach
- Lettuce
- Eggplant
Flowers
- Salvia
- Poppies
- Coleus
- Calendula
- Pansies
- Columbine
- Marigold
- Zinnia
- Lilies
- Daffodils
- Tulips
- Sweet pea
- Begonia
- Rocket Larkspur
At the end of the month, start these warm season crops indoors:
- Tomato
- Pepper
Order Seeds for Zone 5 & 6
Hello Zone 5 & 6 Gardeners, If you are looking for high quality seeds, please consider supporting our website by ordering from our partners by clicking the images below. A small portion of your purchase will go to help us keep this website running for you at no additional cost to you!
Zone 7
Transplant (as long as soil is able to be worked) and cover with floating row covers for a few weeks:
- Cabbage
- Broccoli
- Early Onion
Direct sow these seeds and cover beds with horticultural fleece if hard frosts persist:
Vegetables
- Beets
- Carrots
- Swiss Chard
- Dill
- Parsley
- Parsnips
- Radishes
- Onions
- Scallion
- Early Potatoes
- Early Peas
- Broad Beans
Indoor Seedlings:
Vegetables
- Leeks
- Artichoke
- Celery
- Spinach
Flowers
- Salvia
- Poppies
- Coleus
- Calendula
- Pansies
- Columbine
- Marigold
- Zinnia
- Lilies
- Daffodils
- Tulips
- Sweet pea
- Begonia
- Rocket Larkspur
- Cosmos
- Snapdragon
- Geranium
- Celosia
- Violas
- Giant Blue Hyssop
- Yarrow
- Daisies
- Lupin
At the end of the month, start:
- Tomato
- Pepper
- Romaine
- Artichoke
- Spinach
- Cauliflower
- Brussels sprouts
- Peas
- Celery
- Squash
Herbs
- Parsley
- Lavender
Order Seeds for Zone 7
Hello Zone 7 Gardeners, If you are looking for high quality seeds, please consider supporting our website by ordering from our partners by clicking the images below. A small portion of your purchase will go to help us keep this website running for you at no additional cost to you!
Zone 8
Indoor seedlings
Vegetables
- Romaine
- Artichoke
- Spinach
- Scallions
- Cauliflower
- Peas
- Celery
- Squash
Herbs
- Parsley
- Lavender
- Basil
- Oregano
- Thyme
- Mint
- Dill
- Fennel
- Parsley
Flowers
- Snapdragons
- Violas
- Giant Blue Hyssop
- Yarrow
- Daisies
- Lupins
- Geraniums
- Zinnias
- Sunflowers
- Nasturtium
- Caladium
- Cannas
- Callas
- Tuberous Begonia
- Dahlia
- Gladiola
- Marigold
- Petunia
Fruit
- Strawberry
- Blackberry
- Raspberry
- Melon
- Tomato
Direct sow with cover if danger of frost persists:
Vegetables
- Lettuce
- Broccoli
- Cabbage
- Onion
- Watercress
- Beetroot
- Broad Beans
- Brussels Sprouts
- Carrots
- Cauliflower
- Green Onions
- Parsnips
- Peas
- Radishes
- Shallots
- Turnips
- Early Potatoes
Order Seeds for Zone 8
Hello Zone 8 Gardeners, If you are looking for high quality seeds, please consider supporting our website by ordering from our partners by clicking the images below. A small portion of your purchase will go to help us keep this website running for you at no additional cost to you!
Zone 9
Indoor seedlings
Vegetables
- Iceberg Lettuce
- Mustard
- Chard
- Potato
- Radish
- Summer Carrots
- Snow Pea
- Eggplant
- Sweet Potato Slips
- Beets
- Broad Beans
- Brussels Sprouts
- Parsnips
Herbs
- Basil
- Chives
- Chamomile
- Oregano
- Tarragon
- Parsley
- Lavender
- Thyme
- Mint
- Dill
- Fennel
Flowers
- Morning Glory
- Cup and Saucer Vine
- Petunias
- Cocks Comb
- Decorative Kale
- Black-eyed Susan Vine
- Busy Lizzie
- Alysium
- Sunflower
- Columbine
- Sweet Pea
Direct sow uncovered
Vegetables
- Eggplant
- Cabbage
- Carrots
- Radishes
- Spinach
- Peas
- Onion
- Turnip
- Shallot
- Early Potato
- Cauliflower
Fruit
- Strawberry
- Blackberry
- Raspberry
- Melon
- Tomato
Flowers
- Sunflowers
- Nasturtium
- Caladium
- Cannas
- Callas
- Tuberous Begonia
- Dahlia
- Gladiola
- Lupine
Order Seeds for Zone 9
Hello Zone 9 Gardeners, If you are looking for high quality seeds, please consider supporting our website by ordering from our partners by clicking the images below. A small portion of your purchase will go to help us keep this website running for you at no additional cost to you!
Zone 10
When the soil is above 55 degrees at night:
- Tomato (transplants)
- Peppers (transplants)
- Beans (direct sow)
Direct Sow when the soil is at least 70 degrees for germination (very susceptible to frost!):
- Corn
- Cucumbers
Transplant outdoors
Vegetables
- Iceberg Lettuce
- Chard
- Potato
- Radish
- Summer Carrots
- Snow Pea
- Eggplant
- Sweet Potato Slips
- Beets
- Broad Beans
- Brussels Sprouts
- Parsnips
Herbs
- Basil
- Chives
- Chamomile
- Oregano
- Tarragon
- Parsley
- Lavender
- Thyme
- Mint
- Dill
- Fennel
Flowers
- Morning Glory
- Cup and Saucer Vine
- Petunias
- Cocks Comb
- Decorative Kale
- Black-eyed Susan Vine
- Busy Lizzie
- Alysium
- Sunflower
- Columbine
- Sweet Pea
Order Seeds for Zone 10
Hello Zone 10 Gardeners, If you are looking for high quality seeds, please consider supporting our website by ordering from our partners by clicking the images below. A small portion of your purchase will go to help us keep this website running for you at no additional cost to you!
Spring is Knocking on the Door
There are only a handful of weeks left until spring officially arrives, and that means gardeners are in full prep mode. Make sure to sit down and plan out your planting and harvest dates to make sure you don’t get overwhelmed with too much harvest all at once!
Succession sowing (where planting is staggered in order to ensure more consistent numbers and extend the harvest season) is a wonderful way to get the most out of the garden, but it does require some thorough planning. I hope you have a fantastic start to spring now that you know what seeds to start in March!
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Wishing you all the best,
Randi