Farms across North America are well on their way to spring, but they’re not there just yet! It’s a good time to sow seeds of cool-weather annuals and warm-weather annuals that require a long period before they can be transplanted. In areas where winter is still in full force, sowing indoors is a good option. 

Under cover, growers in multiple areas can sow directly. As long as the season’s remaining freezes aren’t deep and long, plenty of crops can be sown. Many handle a light frost with ease and recover once the weather warms. Others require a kiss of frost for improved flavor. 

If you are wondering what to plant in March, don’t fret that it’s too cold. With a little counter space, or even room in a greenhouse, you can get going on early spring crops. You can also get your summer crops prepped and ready to transplant before the summer heat arrives.  

What to Plant in March

As you’re perusing the local nursery or the seed catalog, bookmark these plants. They are among the best early spring and summer crops to plant (whether indoors or outdoors) this month. 

Spinach

Grow it as a cover crop, or grow it for the market stand. Spinach is a great early spring plant to sow directly in beds. As cover, it stabilizes soil, preventing weeds and erosion, while building soil biomass. As a market item, it’s nutritious and desirable. Succession sow every two weeks until it’s too hot for cold-loving greens. 

Bloomsdale is a great winter plant for people in cold areas. Sow under cover if your last frost is more than a month away. Otherwise, this plant will thrive when directly sown. Bolt-resistance is a good trait to look for if you live in a less frosty area where warmth comes on quickly. 

Carrots

Add carrots to your “What to Plant In March” list. Sow these directly in the garden a couple of weeks before your last frost, or in a covered bed. If you’ve never sold carrots in your market stand, it’s worth the effort, as mass-produced carrots just can’t stand up to the flavor of the farm-fresh crops. 

All varieties of carrots need consistently moist, well-draining, rich soil to thrive. Grow Danvers types for a standard harvest, or grow specialty ones that add a dash of color and interest to your booth. Cosmic Purple is deep red to magenta, with more anthocyanins than typical carrots. Look for a small round carrot, like Tonda di Parigi, if your native soil tends to be hard and heavy.  

Potatoes

Potato tubers need a lot of time to mature and develop, so mid to late winter is a good time to get them started. Now is the time when most distributors are selling seed potatoes. It’s a good idea to get them in the ground as soon as possible after receiving an order of seed tubers in the mail. 

Your season’s length is the main determiner for what kind of potato you should grow. For those with shorter seasons and hot summers, grow smaller varieties like Fingerling or Russian Banana. Both snag a pretty price in specialty markets and restaurants. Your standard Yukon Gold and Russet are great for growers with long springs. 

Peppers

While they’re technically not a spring crop, peppers need a lot of time to grow from seed. If you’re planning to sprout some pepper seeds, early March is a great time to do it. This timing gets growers with later springs off on the right foot, and gives farmers late to the game a chance for a fall harvest. 

Bell peppers are great, but plant several plants if you want more than just a few at harvest time. Highly productive peppers, like jalapeños and Shishitos, will produce through spring and into mild summers. Those with hot summers and mild fall seasons should expect a pause when temperatures rise above 85°F (29°C). Production resumes when 80°F (27°C) highs return. 

Tomatoes

Add tomatoes to your list for what to sow in March, and get a good start on the early summer harvest of delicious cherries, romas, slicers, or beefsteaks. The world of tomatoes is the farmer’s oyster, as new varieties of tomatoes are bred every season, it seems. You could even breed some of your own. 

Sow these indoors with your peppers, and provide both with a heat mat. Don’t plant them outdoors until soil temperatures are warm – at least 75°F (24°C). Farmers with short warm seasons punctuated by cold find that determinate tomatoes are easier, as they produce a harvest all at once. 

In areas where spring and fall are mild, but summer is rough, indeterminates and cherries work well. 

Wildflowers

If you’ve been thinking about cut flower growing, or even incorporating prairie strips into your farmland, March is a wonderful opportunity to plant wildflowers. Many species require cold stratification, and late winter is the perfect time to broadcast seeds to give them the cold, moist period they need to germinate. 

For the best results and the most benefit to your land and local ecosystem, sow native plants. Every state has a native seed source, so do some research and poll your neighbors to see where you can acquire local ecotype seeds. 

If you’re growing for selling cut flowers, it will be easier to sow some individual seeds in flats or cell trays, then transplant them into the garden. Others do best when directly sown. Take some time to determine which varieties you want to grow, and how best to get them started. 

Native Grasses

Similar to wildflowers, March is a great time for sowing native grasses, even in the warmer parts of North America. Include these in your prairie strips, or seed native grasses in your pasture that can feed livestock and local wildlife. Dried grasses make a much more nutritious fodder for the herd in winter than supplemental feeds do. The same principle that applies to wildflowers applies here too: check out local native seed sources, and check in with neighbors who are interested in restoration ecology, or restoration grazing if they also have livestock. You’re sure to find a good source, and you’ll have much more biodiversity on the farm as the years go on if you consistently include natives.

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