What to Plant in March USA
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What to plant in March in the USA depends entirely on your zone — this page answers it for every band. March is peak indoor sowing in the cold band, the start of outdoor sowing in the mild band, and the last cool-season window before heat arrives in the hot band. Start tomatoes, peppers and brassicas indoors; direct sow carrots, radishes, peas and hardy greens where soil has reached 40-45°F.
March planting by region
| Band | Sow outdoors | Start indoors | Plant out | Harvest now |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Cold band USDA zones 3-5 |
Peas, spinach and radish very late month where soil is workable. | Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, brassicas — the main sowing month. | None; harden off nothing yet. | Overwintered kale and leeks; forced rhubarb. |
|
Mild band USDA zones 6-7 |
Carrots, radish, beets, lettuce, spinach, peas, turnips. | Cucurbits late month; succession lettuce. | Brassica transplants, onion sets, potatoes. | Overwintered greens, early radish, spring onions. |
|
Hot band USDA zones 8-10 |
Beans, corn, squash, cucumbers and melons; last lettuce and spinach before heat. | Okra, sweet potato slips for later planting. | Tomato, pepper and eggplant transplants. | Brassicas, peas, carrots, beets, greens. |
March garden jobs
- Test soil temperature at seed depth before direct sowing anything.
- Harden off transplants over 7-10 days — never move them straight outside.
- Add compost to beds as they become workable.
- Set up supports for peas before the plants need them.
- Watch the forecast; a late frost after a warm spell is the classic March loss.
Common March mistakes
- Planting tomatoes out on the first warm week — a single frost after transplanting kills the whole planting.
- Direct sowing into cold soil because the air feels warm; soil lags weeks behind air temperature.
- Skipping hardening off, which causes transplant shock and stalls growth.
- In the hot band, sowing lettuce and spinach late in March, which bolt within weeks as heat builds.
Turn March's jobs into a written plan. The USA Vegetable Garden Planner (printable PDF) has frost-date planning pages, bed layouts, crop rotation, a sowing log and a harvest tracker — 74 printable pages.
More USA planting guides
- What to plant in February USA
- What to plant in April USA
- Vegetable Planting Calendar USA
- Vegetable Growing Guides for the USA
Frequently Asked Questions
What soil temperature do I need to plant in March?
At least 40-45°F for hardy crops such as peas, spinach, radish and lettuce. Carrots want 45°F or above. Tender crops need 60°F and should not go in yet in most of the country.
Can I plant potatoes in March?
In the mild band, yes — plant once soil is workable and above about 45°F. In the cold band wait until April. In the hot band, March is already late.
Is it safe to plant tomatoes outside in March?
Only in zones 9-10. Everywhere else, wait until after your last frost and until nights hold above 50°F.
Plan your March beds
Turn this month's list into a layout: sketch your plot in the free Garden Layout Planner, then follow the whole season with the USA Vegetable Garden Planner (printable PDF, 74 pages). For the full year, see the USA vegetable planting calendar, browse every crop in the USA growing guides, or use the USA site directory.
Last updated 25 August 2026
Turn This Month's Jobs Into A Plan
Month-by-month advice works best when it becomes a written sowing list, bed plan, and follow-up task list.
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Plan the next step
Use the printable SoilCommander planner for your region to turn this guide into sowing dates, bed layouts and weekly garden tasks.