11 Seeds You’d Be Foolish Not to Plant in March

March marks the start of spring and, for most of us, the true start of the growing season. Depending on your climate zone, your last anticipated frost date is either just in the rearview or coming up just around the corner. The number of seeds you can grow is on the cusp of expanding dramatically. 

Whether vegetables or flowers, early spring is truly the ideal time to plant seeds. The soil is beginning to warm up, but the air is still cool, and in most places, the amount of rainfall is increasing. All these combined mean faster germination and less stress on those tender seedlings.

I’m growing a combination of flowers and edibles this year, so I’m extra busy right now. Each type of seed has its own set of circumstances that make for the ideal germination rate and speed. Here are some of the seeds we are planting in March, plus how you can treat each one for the highest success rate. 

Cucumber

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Spacemaster 80 Cucumber Seeds

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Squash

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Early Prolific Straightneck Summer Squash Seeds

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Cabbage

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Copenhagen Market Cabbage Seeds

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Cabbage ‘Copenhagen Market’

	common name Cabbage ‘Copenhagen Market’
	botanical name Brassica oleracea ‘Copenhagen Market’
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 12”-16”
	hardiness zones 2-11

Cabbage is a great crop to start in just about any climate in spring. It’s frost tolerant, so a late-season freeze won’t phase it. It likes to germinate in cool soil, and you can start the seeds indoors or out. If you’re still a few weeks from that important date, start your cabbage inside in trays. If it’s close, go ahead and directly sow them in the garden. 

‘Copenhagen Market’ is a fast-maturing variety, so it grows well in warmer climates than most types. It produces medium-sized heads but can grow larger if you let them. They have an excellent storage life of up to six months!

Squash/ ‘Early Prolific Straightneck’

	common name Squash/ ‘Early Prolific Straightneck’
	botanical name Cucurbita pepo ‘Early Prolific Straightneck’
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 3’-4’
	hardiness zones 2-11

If you live in a cold climate, it might not be time for squash yet. As long as there is no more threat of frost, it’s ok to plant these seeds in March. Summer squash is a favorite around my dinner table. It’s so versatile and has a tender, buttery texture that goes with its sweet, mild flavor. I’ve never met a squash casserole I didn’t like. 

Squash seeds are large with a hard outer shell. Make sure to soak them or snip the very tip of the shell to aid in germination. These work best when you sow them directly in the garden. ‘Early Prolific Straightneck’ delivers on its name, beginning to mature in just 45 days. Wait until there’s zero threat of freezing temperatures before planting. 

Cucumbers ‘Spacemaster’

	common name Cucumbers ‘Spacemaster’
	botanical name Cucumis sativus ‘Spacemaster 80’
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 2’-3’
	hardiness zones 2-11

Cucumbers are so refreshing in the summer. Who doesn’t love the crunch of a salty dill pickle? Because the seeds are large and have a tough shell, cukes are good for directly sowing in the vegetable garden. You can start these seeds indoors if you still have a few weeks of cold weather; otherwise, plant them straight into the dirt in March! 

Cucumbers can get a little bossy and take up more space than you intended. Some varieties truly run wild and meander wherever they like. ‘Spacemaster 80’ is perfect for smaller spaces where you want to keep these vines under control. It’s a compact plant that produces full-sized cucumbers.

French Marigolds ‘Red Metamorph’

	common name French Marigolds ‘Red Metamorph’
	botanical name Tagetes patula ‘Red Metamorph’
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 24”-36”
	hardiness zones 2-11

If you’re not planting marigolds in your vegetable garden, you’re missing out on a great pest control trick. If you’ve ever smelled a marigold, you know that the fragrance is singular and quite strong. While some may find it pleasing, most garden pests do not. It will keep many of them away. 

Plant marigolds in between vegetable plants to help keep the insect populations down and also because they are lovely and cheerful flowers. They brighten up any space and are easy to grow and care for. Start them indoors before your last frost date or directly in the ground a week after.

Sunflowers ‘Rouge Royale’

	common name Sunflowers ‘Rouge Royale’
	botanical name Helianthus annuus ‘Rouge Royale’
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 4’-6’
	hardiness zones 2-11

Sunflowers aren’t just fun to grow; they serve valuable purposes in the garden. They are huge pollinator magnets, and if you leave the seed heads intact, you’ll feed birds all through the fall and into the winter. These have a tough shell, so nick and/or soak them for a few hours beforehand.

Direct sow your seeds for the tallest plants. They don’t love transplanting, which results in shorter stems. I’m planting some unique varieties this year, and one of them is Rouge Royale. These ruby-colored blooms will be the star in your yard in summer. 

Basil ‘Purple Petra’

	common name Basil ‘Purple Petra’
	botanical name Ocimum basilicum ‘Purple Petra’
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 24”
	hardiness zones 2-11

Basil is one of those herbs that you should always eat fresh. While others, like oregano, release the fragrance and flavor in their leaves better when dried, basil is the opposite. These tender, aromatic leaves are frost-tender, so either start seeds indoors in March (a few weeks ahead of your last frost) or wait until after the last frost to plant outdoors. 

I’m loving splashes of purple in my herb garden this year. ‘Purple Petra’ is a bold shade, but the flavor is surprisingly mild for those who prefer a sweeter basil. Plant basil between your tomato plants to improve the flavor, these two are a perfect match in the garden and the kitchen. 

Bush Beans ‘Contender’

	common name Bush Beans ‘Contender’
	botanical name Phaseolus vulgaris ‘Contender’
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 12”-20”
	hardiness zones 2-11

Bush beans are a great, quick vegetable to grow and are great producers. If you’ve never grown them before, you should definitely give them a try this year. They are easy to grow, and best of all, they are nitrogen-fixing. They don’t use much pf the nitrogen in the soil. They ultimately replace it for next year’s crops. 

‘Contender’ is a reliable bush bean variety. It’s fast-growing, and you should be ready to start harvesting in just under two months. This stringless bean is an heirloom variety dating back to 1949. Direct sow after soaking the seeds. 

Carrots ‘Little Finger’

	common name Carrots ‘Little Finger’
	botanical name Daucus carota ‘Little Finger’
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 3”
	hardiness zones 2-11

Like candy from the earth, carrots are sweet, crunchy, and flavorful. These tiny seeds don’t transplant well, so plant them directly in the ground around March or April. If you transplant carrots, you’ll probably end up with odd shapes. You can sow up to two weeks before the last anticipated frost date.

Plant carrots successively every three weeks. This way, you’ll have a much longer harvest period. ‘Little Finger’ is a small, sweet variety that takes less than two months to mature. They are a great container carrot. 

Garlic Chives 

	common name Garlic Chives
	botanical name Allium tuberosum
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 18”
	hardiness zones 3-9

The delicate flavor of garlic chives pairs well with a multitude of different cuisines. You can start these indoors or out. They’re not picky. They may look fragile, but this is a great, perennial cut-and-come-again crop that provides an excellent harvest. 

Another benefit of growing these and other types of garlic is their pest-repellant properties. Their pungent scent is not appealing to them, so plant these between other crops as pest prevention. 

Calendula ‘Pacific Beauty’

	common name Calendula ‘Pacific Beauty’
	botanical name Calendula officinalis ‘Pacific Beauty’
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 12”-24”
	hardiness zones 2-11

Calendula is always on my list for year-round planting. They are frost-resistant and don’t mind heat, either. They are tougher than they look, and they’re edible, too! The bright yellow and orange petals are nice for baking with or as a garnish on cold dishes. 

Calendula is a nice cut flower, and it’s great for drying as well. The brightly colored blooms retain their color excellently. You can plant before or after the last frost date. These are frost tolerant. The seeds are large, so drop them right into your beds. They will surprise you with their resilience. 

Tomato ‘Cherokee Purple’

	common name Tomato ‘Cherokee Purple’
	botanical name Solanum lycopersicum ‘Cherokee Purple’
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 6’+
	hardiness zones 2-11

It’s true that tomatoes are a warm-weather crop, so starting them in early spring isn’t for everyone. As long as your last frost date is within the next 6 weeks, it’s a good time to start them indoors. In mild climates, you can directly sow them as soon as there is no risk of freezing temperatures.

Because the seeds are on the smaller side and not especially tough to germinate, I prefer to start my tomatoes indoors and transplant them. I’m planting ‘Cherokee Purple’ this year. It’s an heirloom variety, and I hear from reliable sources that it’s the tastiest purple tomato around.