Tuesday, March 2, 2021

What to plant in the March edible garden

March garden bed, ready for planting
Tuesday, March 2, 2021

March and April are prime time for cold season crops like greens, cabbage, kale, broccoli, Brussels sprouts.  In March, you can direct sow (plant seeds in your outdoor pot or garden bed), start seeds indoors or transplant plants into your pot or garden bed.

Big box stores already have their seeds on display.  In our area, plants should be arriving this week in stores.  Our local Ace Hardware are expecting their first shipment of veggie plants next week end.  The variety available in big box stores continues to expand as more and more of us are growing our own food.  If you are wanting something unique, try on line seed companies. Some of my favorites with a good selection of organic vegetables, garden fruits, and herbs-Abundant Life Seeds, Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, High Mowing Seeds, Johnny's Selected Seeds, Renee's Garden, Seeds of Change, Territorial Seed Company, Seeds from Italy, Botanical Interest.  

If you are not sure what to plant, here are some ideas on figuring that out.  How to know what to grow

Using indoor seed starting is a great way to accelerate your harvest by up to two months.  Seed packets tell you how far in advance of your last frost date to start your seeds indoors or when to plant outdoors for "direct sowing" in the garden.  Just look on the back. Here is a web page to look up your last frost date: Frost date look up

Cold season crops include your greens, broccoli, cabbage, strawberries and peas.  For more on spring gardens, see  A spring edible garden

March and April is also the time for warm season veggie and herbs to get their indoor start.  Summer veggies include beans, tomatoes, beans, basil, eggplant, peppers and squash.  Summer veggies go into the garden after chance of frost has passed and the soil has warmed.  In our area, that is first of May.  You don't really get an advantage in planting the summer veggies early because they don't grow until the ground warms up.  I just imagine them sitting in the dirt with their roots and stems shivering.  See this May blog on summer veggies for more info.   It's summer veggie planting time!

Start seeds in garden bed or transplant outdoors for our Zone 7 garden
Arugula
Asparagus
Beets
Broccoli
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Catnip
Celeriac
Celery
Chard
Chervil
Chives
Cilantro
Collards
Corn salad
Endive 
Escarole
Fennel
Fenu
Horseradish
Kale
Kohlrabi
Leek
Lettuce
Mache
Mint
Mizuna
Mustard
Onions, if starting from seed
Pak choi
Parsley
Parsnips
Peas
Potatoes
Raddichio
Radishes
Rhubarb
Salsify
Scallions
Shallots
Sorrel
Spinach
Strawberries
Summer savory
Turnips

Start seeds indoors
Artichokes and cardoons
Basil
Bay
Bee balm
Cauliflower
Chamomile
Comfrey
Dill
Eggplant
Edamame
Fennel
Kohlrabi
Lavender
Lemon verbena
Lovage
Marjoram
Okra
Oregano
Peppers
Rosemary
Sage
Tarragon
Tomatoes
Thyme
Seedlings started in an Aerogarden hydroponic system
You can find more crops seed starting times in this blog  Indoor sowing/outdoor planting dates

Another trick is to do succession seed starting.  For continuous harvests of veggies like broccoli, spinach and lettuce, start new seedlings every 3 weeks and plant out every three weeks in the garden.  For the early seedlings, use varieties that are described as cold hardy.  When you get to April, start seedlings that are heat tolerant.  Heat tolerant varieties will resist bolting and bitterness at the first sign of summer.  Get the most from your space-plant intensively!

You can also start perennial flowers and veggies indoors as well.  For any plant, look at the seed packet for when to plant outdoors according to your frost date.  Then back up the time from there on when to start indoors.  Typical seed starting is 6-8 weeks prior to the plant out date.  For more on perennial fruits and veggie gardens, Perennial veggies in the Midwest garden
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