Here's What to Plant in March
Here's What to Plant in March
Get your gardening gloves ready because it’s officially time for spring planting! Many plants are more resilient than you think and don’t mind a frosty morning or even a bit of snow. Some flowers can be planted this time of year in warmer regions of the country, while many cold-hardy vegetables can be seeded directly into your garden or in containers in mid-to-late March. Nurseries will offer transplants of young vegetables when it's time to plant in your area, but many plants are easy to grow from seed. Read the seed package to learn the best time to plant, as well as recommended planting depth and correct spacing. And check with your local university coop extension service (find yours here) to learn the last expected frost date in your region so you don't plant frost-sensitive edibles or ornamentals too early.
Typically, here’s what you can plant in March:
1) Lettuce
Lettuce doesn’t like warm weather, so it’s perfect for spring planting. It’s also a fast-grower: Baby lettuce is ready to harvest in as little as 30 days! Sprinkle the teeny seeds directly in rows into your garden or window boxes, and cover lightly with ? to ? inch of soil. Keep the soil moist while it’s sprouting. Look for gourmet blends (called “mesclun”) if you want to harvest a variety.
Varieties to try: Red Sails, Spicy Mesclun
2) Arugula
This spicy green makes a great topper for salads, sandwiches or pizzas. Direct-seed into your garden or containers as you would lettuce. Snip off leaves when they’re 2 to 3 inches long. It’s not fond of heat, so enjoy it in the cool weather months.
Varieties to try: Rocket, Surrey
3) Swiss Chard
This green is served raw, sautéed, or mixed into frittatas and quiches. Plant in early spring, keep watered, and take the outer leaves to keep the harvest coming. Swiss chard is a beautiful plant that will yield all season long in northern climates if you shield it with row covers from hot afternoon sun.
Varieties to try: Bright Lights, Giant Fordhook
4) Spinach
Plant short rows every 10 days so you’ll have a continuous harvest throughout the growing season. Spinach is sensitive to heat and will “bolt” or go to seed once temperatures consistently hit the mid-70s.
Varieties to try: Giant Noble, Bloomsdale Long Standing
5) Radishes
These super-fast growers are ready in about 20 to 30 days. Plant them shallowly in rows or in pots after the risk of frost is past, and keep the ground moist.
Varieties to try: Early Scarlet Globe, Black Spanish
6) Mustard Greens
A lesser-known green, this early spring delicacy with a mild mustardy-flavor can be enjoyed raw or stir-fried. Plant as you would any other green. Some types, such as Mizuna, are especially tough and can survive a frost.
Varieties to try: Red Kingdom, Tatsoi
7) Kale
If ever a plant could stand the cold, kale is it! This hardy veggie often survives winters on its own and comes back the following spring. Sow seeds as you would any green, and harvest baby or mature leaves. Heirloom varieties, such as Lacinato, are sweet and mild, not tough and chewy.
Varieties to try: Lacinato, Red Russian
8) Violas
These pretty little annuals with funny “faces” will make you smile! As soon as the ground can be worked, plant these in window boxes, in garden beds, or containers on your front steps to add color to the dull late winter landscape. They’ll start appearing at nurseries by mid to late winter, or start seeds indoors about two months before the last frost. Plus, the flowers are edible and can dress up salads or cupcakes!
Varieties to try: Johnny Jump Up, Sorbet Denim Jump Up
9) Bunching Onions
Fresh, crisp scallions eaten raw or grilled add zest to any meal, and they’re actually easy-to-grow. Plant bunching onions in early spring from seeds or “sets,” which are young bulbs. Place bulbs about 3 to 4 inches apart just deep enough so the bulb is covered by soil.
Varieties to try: White Lisbon, Bunching Warrior
10) Potatoes
Plant whole small potatoes or cut large ones into golf-ball sized pieces so that each chunk has one or two “eyes.” Plant about 8 inches deep and a foot apart with the eye facing up in the hole. Avoid using potatoes from your kitchen; they’re often treated with chemicals to inhibit sprouting. Instead, purchase certified disease-free seed potatoes from a nursery. Mid-march to mid-June are the best times to plant, depending on where you live.
Varieties to try: Purple Viking, Yukon Gold
Gardening gloves out!