11 Underrated Crops You Should Plant In March
For creative culinary selections as we head into the vegetable garden, don’t turn the page on those overlooked, underrated crops packed with nutrition and flavor. They’re often cold hardy - perfect for planting in this month - with a long garden history. Garden expert Katherine Rowe explores less common crops to plant in March that make worthy additions.
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March means we can really get in the garden. With a turn toward spring, we’re able to direct sow or transplant early-season vegetables. In warm climates, we can even plant warm-season selections like tomatoes and eggplants, while cold climates can start them indoors for transplanting later.
March is prime for planting cold-hardy crops. Many of these go in the ground before the final frost and sweeten with cool weather. As we’re making our seed selections and browsing nursery tables, don’t overlook unusual crops or those you haven’t tried before. If you’ve got the garden space, sprinkle in a few among the favorites.
While we should mainly grow what we’ll actually eat and enjoy, we wouldn’t be gardeners if we didn’t try something new. And while underrated, these crops for March planting are anything but boring! Packed with nutrition, flavor, visual interest, and a long culinary history, they’re worthy of a spot in the spring vegetable garden.
Zone Tips for Crops to Plant in March
Your anticipated last frost date and plant selection help determine what crops to plant in March and when to plant them throughout the month. In northern areas, nights are still chilly, while soils are warming in southern zones. To time seed starting or transplanting, use your area’s final frost date as a gauge.
Pay attention to your local microclimate to get a feel for temperature trends in your specific garden. Growing zones, too, give a general guideline for planting. In zones 8 and higher, the last anticipated frost passes mid to late month. In zones 5-7, you’re looking at late month (zone 7) and early to mid-April. Zones 4 and colder, May is your month.
For crops to plant in March, we’ll look at those to sow or transplant before the final frost, often four to six weeks prior. In zones 1-4, look at sowing indoors or via winter sowing this month. In very cold climates, you can still winter sow crops in March. Winter sowing is an easy seed-starting method that uses household supplies.
Any clear, plastic container becomes a homemade mini greenhouse to insulate seeds, which hold until conditions are right for them to germinate. Plan to winter sow seeds about six to eight weeks before the anticipated final frost.
Asparagus ‘Purple Passion’
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botanical name Asparagus officinalis ‘Purple Passion’ |
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sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
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height 4-5’ |
Asparagus is sometimes overlooked as something to grow at home. It takes time to realize a harvest, about two years after planting crowns (one-year-old roots) and three years from seed. But after that, it’s a long-lived perennial for years of bounty.
Asparagus is one of the earliest spring vegetables, and its fresh, crisp stems grow quickly to reach peak readiness in cool conditions. It’s a cold hardy, easy-care perennial in the right spot, with a quick-growing harvest once mature.
Deep purple tones make ‘Purple Passion’ an intriguing ornamental addition to the edible landscape. When cooked, spears turn bright green. The plump stems hold more sugars than green selections for a mild flavor and have a low fiber content.
Thicker than green varieties, stems emerge later in the season, giving the opportunity to stagger the harvest with early and late producers. Emerging later also protects sensitive shoots from early frosts. Pick when stems are less than five inches long.
Radish ‘Cherry Belle’
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botanical name Raphanus sativus ‘Cherry Belle’ |
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sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
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height 3” |
Radishes are one of the best early-season crops because they are fast-growing and help aerate the soil as their roots develop. On top of reducing compaction, they also bring a burst of fresh, peppery flavor to the spring palette.
‘Cherry Belle’ radishes produce bunches of bright red globes with white, crisp flesh. The Holland heirlooms are a gardener and chef favorite. They won the All-America Selections award in 1949 for their fast growth, easy care, and flavorful roots.
Crunchy and colorful, ‘Cherry Belle’ is quick-growing, maturing in about 24 days. Sow successional plantings every one to two weeks for a continual crop through late spring and early summer. Harvest the little belles when the roots are about 1’ in diameter.
For a fun and colorful addition, try ‘Easter Egg Blend’ for red, white, pink, purple, and bi-color globes. The novel roots are ready to pick in as little as 30 days.
Radishes’ compact stature makes them a good fit for containers and raised beds. If you have leftover seeds, sow them in bare beds to stabilize soils as a placeholding cover crop to lessen soil compaction and improve aeration.
Turnip ‘White Lady’
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botanical name Brassica rapa ‘White Lady’ |
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sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
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height 14-22” |
This centuries-old root vegetable dates to Pliny the Elder’s writings in the first century. The powerhouses of nutrition are a hearty stand-in for potatoes. Tender varieties move beyond the sturdy standard to a sweet delicacy best enjoyed fresh.
Turnips develop quickly and work well for short growing seasons. They perform in the ground, containers, and raised beds and make an easy companion to beets. In addition to the nutritious roots, the vitamin-packed greens are edible.
Not your average turnip, ‘White Lady’ is a Japanese variety and a specialty to enjoy fresh or cooked with a sweet flavor, crisp white flesh, and tender skins. Use the baby salad turnips at two inches in diameter in raw culinary applications, like grated on a salad, in a slaw, or eaten like an apple. They’re also delicious roasted and in stir-fries.
As a bonus, the root vegetables serve to aerate the soil as they develop. If you have extra seeds, sow them as a cover crop to nourish and hold soils in the “off” season when beds are bare. Or, grow microgreens right on the kitchen counter. Like other lettuces and leafy greens, turnips sprout quickly (usually within five days) and develop nutrient-rich micro and baby greens.
Beet ‘Chioggia’
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botanical name Beta vulgaris ‘Chioggia’ |
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sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
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height 18” |
‘Chioggia’ brings international flair and a candy stripe of color. The 1800s Italian heirloom is the namesake of its home island, a fishing village in Northern Italy near Venice. A candy-striped variety, ‘Chioggia’s’ interior has a peppermint swirl of white and pinky-red rings.
‘Chioggia’ has a mild, sweet, and slightly peppery flavor. The roots and leafy greens are rich in vitamins and minerals, including A, C, iron, potassium, and folic acid, with antioxidant benefits. The cold-tolerant, frost-hardy root vegetables grow best in the cool weather of fall and spring. Direct sow seeds two to four weeks before the last frost. In warm climates, sow them in the fall for a winter harvest.
As an early producer, the heirloom matures in 55 days. Harvest the beets early at one to three inches for the best flavor and texture. The roots have pink, orange, and red-hued skins, and the flesh of ‘Chioggia’ is relatively free of bleeding and staining.
‘Komatsuna’ Japanese Spinach
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botanical name Brassica rapa var. perviridis |
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sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
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height 12-18” |
‘Komatsuna’ is a traditional Japanese vegetable that combines the flavor profile of smooth spinach with notes of mild mustard. The taste of this rich green is sweet and without bitterness. The greens are high in vitamins C, A, and K, with additional minerals like folate, beta-carotene, and iron. These mustards even contain more calcium than spinach.
A staple in Japan, this underrated crop to grow this month has limitless uses in the kitchen. Toss it in salads or soups. Saute it with garlic and ginger, topped with sesame seeds for a bowl of flavor. Use it as a fresh garnish with grated radish or Asian turnips.
Sow ‘Komatsuna‘ four to six weeks before spring’s final frost. Maturing in 45 to 60 days, pick leaves earlier at around 30 to 40 days for tender, soft growth. They withstand heat (though they will bolt in extended hot conditions) and are cold-hardy.
Kohlrabi ‘Purple Vienna’
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botanical name Brassica oleracea var. gongylodes ‘Purple Vienna’ |
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sun requirements Full sun |
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height 6-18” |
Kohlrabi is definitely an underrated crop to plant in March—it adds interest in flavor and form and brings loads of vitamin C during the transitional season. It’s a member of the cabbage family, but more resembles a root vegetable with leaves that emerge from different tethers on the small bulbs. Its flavor is between an apple and a mild turnip.
Enjoy the frost-tolerant Brassica in stir fry, salad, and slaw, or eat it like an apple. Crisp and mildly peppery, this is one to sow four to six weeks ahead of the last frost or when soil temperatures are above 45°F (7°C).
‘Purple Vienna’ has a unique purple globe stem with a tender white interior. It matures as early as 50 days. ‘Konan’ is another early-maturing variety and an All-America Selections winner. Smooth, round bulbs reach six inches across with a uniform, upright form ideal for beds and vertical planters.
‘Mizuna’ Mustard
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botanical name Brassica rapa subsp. nipposinica |
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sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
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height 12” |
We love a multitasking cool season green. This Japanese mustard is highly ornamental in addition to its prized culinary merits. Dissected leaves lend a fine texture among blooming annuals like pansies, violas, and calendula along the border edge or in pots. Each plant may hold 200 upright stems of delicate, lacy leaves to add to the edible composition.
Baby ‘Mizuna’ leaves are best and have a mildly spicy flavor that’s more mellow than other mustards. They’re ready to pick a few weeks after sowing, germinating in spring’s cool, moist conditions. Sow a round every few weeks for an ongoing harvest. ‘Mizuna’ mustard tolerates heat and frost without being quick to bolt (bloom prematurely).
Leek ‘King Richard’
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botanical name Allium porrum ‘King Richard’ |
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sun requirements Full sun |
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height 18-30” |
Leeks are another prime crop to plant in March. The culinary favorite, often overlooked in the home garden, has a rich, subtle onion flavor that becomes sweeter as it cooks. Start leeks indoors 8-10 weeks before the last frost, or direct sow them 4-6 weeks in advance. They’ll be ready to harvest in late summer.
‘King Richard’ grows dense, thick stems that are long and white. They’re hardy to 20°F (-7°C) for an extended harvest. And they mature in 75 days for an early, full-size selection. ‘King Richard’ is a Royal Horticultural Society Award of Garden Merit recipient for its robust growth and early harvest as leeks go.
Scallion ‘Tokyo Long’
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botanical name Allium fistulosum ‘Tokyo Long’ |
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sun requirements Full sun |
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height 16-18” |
Also called green, spring, or bunching onions, scallions are an easy-to-grow cool-season favorite. Japanese bunching onions like ‘Tokyo Long’ have a mild, sweet, oniony flavor and long, slender stalks with a versatility enjoyed fresh or cooked.
Along with the slim white onion portion are the tasty blue-green tops, ready to garnish any cuisine. ‘Tokyo Long’ is disease-resistant, heat, and frost tolerant. It takes about 65 days from sowing to harvest. Start them indoors 8-10 weeks before frost or outdoors if your soil is workable. In mild climates, plant the cool crops in the fall for a spring harvest.
Fava Beans ‘Windsor’
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botanical name Vicia faba ‘Windsor’ |
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sun requirements Full sun |
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height 2-4’ |
Fava beans are excellent for planting in March in cold climates, where they germinate in temperatures as low as 35°F (2°C). The crop is multifaceted: young pods are tender for fresh eating, leaf tips are a fresh spring green, and the beans themselves are tasty raw right off the vine or cooked fresh.
‘Windsor’ is an 1863 heirloom, a broad bean and easy to shell. Its white pea flowers with brushed black centers are striking on tall, sturdy stems. Cold hardy to 10°F (-12°C), favas thrive in cool conditions.
Useful as cover crops, small-seeded favas are cool season annuals with tall, fresh, leafy green stalks and a bushy habit. Their ample roots fix nitrogen and break up soils for less compaction. The early spring blooms draw pollinators as a valuable transitional nectar source.
Cabbage ‘Red Acre’
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botanical name Brassica oleraceae ‘Red Acre’ |
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sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
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height 5-7” |
‘Red Acre’ is a beautiful cabbage! Plant this one for the vegetable garden or mixed arrangement, bridging the ornamental and culinary. Its violet and deep red globes shine in containers, raised beds, and small spaces. A sweet flavor is perfect for fresh salads and stir-fries.
At maturity, the rounded heads measure five to seven inches on compact plants. ‘Red Acre’ is disease-resistant and has a good shelf life in cool storage.
Start ‘Red Acre’ indoors six to eight weeks before the last frost, transplanting two to four weeks before. Or, direct sow them four to six weeks prior. In warm climates, plant them in the fall for a winter yield.
