What to Plant in March by Zone
March is when gardening season actually begins for most of the country. Even if you can't plant outside yet, there's plenty to do indoors. And if you're in the warmer zones, March is prime time for getting crops in the ground. Here's what to focus on this month, broken down by zone.
Zones 3-4: All indoors
There's still snow on the ground, and your last frost is two months away. But the seed starting clock is ticking.
| Task | Details |
|---|---|
| Start indoors | Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, onions (if not already started), broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage |
| Order seeds | Last call for ordering before popular varieties sell out |
| Prep beds | If snow melts enough, lay black plastic on beds to warm soil for April |
Zone 4 gardeners: your pepper seeds should already be going (10-12 weeks before ~May 20 last frost). Tomato seeds go in around March 10-20.
Zone 5: Starting seeds, prepping soil
| Task | Details |
|---|---|
| Start indoors | Tomatoes (early March), peppers (should already be going), basil, cucumbers (late March) |
| Direct sow outdoors | Peas (mid-March if soil is workable), spinach, radishes under row cover |
| Soil prep | Turn compost into beds when soil isn't waterlogged. Add amendments based on fall soil test. |
Peas can handle frost, so zone 5 gardeners can usually get them in the ground by St. Patrick's Day. The old-timers say "plant peas on St. Pat's" and it holds up pretty well for zone 5. For more details, see our guide on Spring vegetable garden planting schedule.
Zone 6: The busiest month
March in zone 6 is non-stop. You're starting warm-season seeds indoors while planting cool-season crops outside. For more details, see our guide on Best vegetables to plant in spring.
| Task | Details |
|---|---|
| Start indoors (early March) | Tomatoes, tomatillos, ground cherries |
| Start indoors (mid-March) | Basil, cucumbers, squash, melons |
| Direct sow outdoors | Peas, lettuce, spinach, kale, radishes, carrots (mid-March onward), onion sets, potatoes |
| Transplant outdoors | Broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower transplants (with row cover backup) |
Zone 6b gardeners with last frost around April 10 can be especially aggressive. Cool-season crops planted in early March will be well-established before warm weather arrives.
Zone 7: Spring is here
| Task | Details |
|---|---|
| Start indoors | Cucumbers, squash, melons (for late March/April transplant) |
| Transplant outdoors | Tomatoes (late March in 7b with protection), peppers (late March with row cover), broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower |
| Direct sow | Beans (late March), carrots, beets, peas, lettuce, Swiss chard, potatoes, onion sets |
Zone 7 is where March gets exciting. With a last frost around April 5-15, you can push warm-season transplants out in late March if you keep row cover handy. Many zone 7 gardeners have tomatoes in the ground by March 25.
Zone 8: Full speed ahead
| Task | Details |
|---|---|
| Transplant outdoors | Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant. The frost risk is essentially over by mid-March in 8b. |
| Direct sow | Beans, corn, squash, cucumbers, melons, okra (late March), sweet potatoes (slips) |
| Continue harvesting | Cool-season crops planted in fall: lettuce, spinach, peas, broccoli |
Zone 8 gardeners are planting summer crops in March while still harvesting winter ones. It's the best of both worlds.
Zone 9: Summer crops are in full swing
| Task | Details |
|---|---|
| Already in the ground | Tomatoes, peppers (should be planted by now) |
| Direct sow in March | Corn, okra, southern peas (cowpeas), watermelon, cantaloupe, sweet potatoes |
| Last call | Finish harvesting cool-season crops before they bolt in the heat |
If you're in zone 9 and haven't planted tomatoes yet, do it this week. Every day you wait costs you production before summer heat shuts down fruit set.
March garden tasks (all zones)
- Test soil: If you haven't done a soil test in the past 2-3 years, March is the time. Your local extension office does them for $15-25.
- Clean up: Remove dead plant material from last year. Cut back perennial herbs. Pull any overwintered weeds before they set seed.
- Sharpen tools: Five minutes with a file on your hoe and shovel makes everything easier.
- Plan successions: Decide now what you'll succession-plant (lettuce, radishes, beans). Write the dates on a calendar or use the planting calendar tool to set it up.
- Check supplies: Seed starting mix, fertilizer, row cover, stakes. Buy before the spring rush cleans out stores.
March is the month that separates gardeners who have a plan from gardeners who scramble in May. Get ahead of it now. The planting calendar gives you a complete schedule based on your zip code, and the spring planting schedule goes deeper on timing.
Build your March planting plan →
Open the Planting Calendar