Which of these 13 March vegetables will you start growing now? It’s March and I know our brains are in overdrive with what to plant right now. It’s so close to spring and I fear, we’ve already sprung. I’m so excited, I’ve already wet my plants! So, get your seeds out and lets get planting!
As most of you know already we REALLY love True Leaf Market for our seeds. They’re somewhat local to us (a mere 5 hours away in Northern Utah). We’ve had great germination rates, free shipping and quick shipping. Plus, they are really good about letting us know which seeds do well where we are. I’m really impressed by this company (and in our research of 5 different seed companies they were the least expensive – gotta save where we can).
We’re going to cover a couple of things today, mostly because I want to be planting in the outdoors so badly right now, we’re going to cover seeds that need to be started indoors and some that can be started outdoors with a cover. Keep in mind, we are in growing Zone 6 so, you may be able to plant everything outdoors already or you may have to wait a bit longer.
March indoor starting – this could be in your living room, bathroom, greenhouse, high tunnel or garage. Wherever is protected from the bitter cold, frost and of course there is enough light. These will be seeds that can be planted outdoors in 6 to 8 weeks.
- Cabbage – We like the Copenhagen Market Cabbage it is a hardy garden crop that can be grown in climate zones three through nine. The plant produces medium sized, green heads that can liven up any dish. After about sixty five to seventy five days, the heads can be harvested. They provide a sweet and delicate flavor.
- Lettuce – Butterhead lettuce is one of my favorites, it’s tender and buttery texture is divine. It can be grown in nearly all climates, but prefers cooler weather. This makes it a great spring and late fall crop.
- Spinach – We prefer to grow Bloomsdale Long Standing spinach, we’ve had good luck with it in the past. It has dark green glossy leaves that are slow to bolt.
- Swiss Chard – The Rainbow Mixture Swiss Chard seed mix is a blend of colored. The crops can grow in zones 6 and up, and the leaves can be harvested after fifty days. We like this mix because it brings a bright, cheery space to the garden.
- Brussel Sprouts – Long Island Improved Brussels Sprouts can be grown in colder climates, and the crop is very tolerant of frost. While the sprouts can take up to one hundred days to reach maturity, they make great crops to grow during the winter and colder months of the year. We plant brussel sprouts early, so that we can have a double harvest – spring and fall.
What to plant outdoors with cover. These seeds/seedlings can withstand more of the cold than the others. We take the covers off on warm days and make sure to cover them back up at night. So, if your ready to get some seeds in the ground in March, these are the ones you want! - Peas – Sugar Ann Snap Peas this compact, 18 to 24 inch, disease resistant pea vine needs no trellising. Peas are kind of a big deal here on the farm…need a snack oh look there’s peas. These are super sweet and obviously delicious.
- Onions – There is so much variety in onions..red, sweet, spanish, bunching, pickling, white, yellow. We like several varieties, one we use quite often is the Candy Hybrid. This is a day-neutral onion that can be successfully grown in the North or South, and basically anywhere in the country. It has a sensational mild and sweet flavor that tastes like a southern short-day onion.
- Leeks – Leeks are a longer crop to have in the garden. Around 130 days to harvest, but if you can get that blanched stem just right you have something that is absolutely wonderful!
- Beets – We actually grow 3 varieties of beets. We grown a Detroit Dark Red, Golden Detroit and the Chioggia Beet. Why do we do this? We like to make bunches of the 3 flavors and colors, the dark red, the orange glow of the golden and the stripe of the chioggia and wonderful on display.
- Turnips – Dual purpose crop! Purple Top White Globe Turnip produces big roots that can sometimes reach up to 4-6” across. Moderately easy to grow and well worth every effort. Greens can be harvested multiple times a season.
- Radishes – We grow 2 different varieties of radish. The French Breakfast radish which is delightful sauteed in lots of butter and chives. As well as the Cherry Belle round salad type radish.
- Carrots – The Parisian carrot seeds produce round roots. This garden crop thrives with full sun in zones three to nine, and does best in sandy, well-drained soil, though it can also grow in rocky soil. Here on the farm, our soil is mostly clay, great in heavy soils where long carrots are difficult.
- Potatoes – I personally love Yukon Gold potatoes, while Mr. Clucking It Up prefers red potatoes. Johnny’s Seeds carries a Red Gold potato that is the best of both worlds for us here on the farm!
Get your seeds out, make a list, and get planting! Come on, summer will be here before you know it and you want to be ready.
Which of these 13 March vegetables will you start growing?
