Zone 1b planting calendar

What to plant in March: zone 1b

Zone 1b averages its last spring frost around June 15 and its first fall frost around August 15. Everything below is timed from those two dates, so it stays useful whether you're planting for summer or for a fall harvest.

These are zone-average dates. Check an area-level frost estimate from thirty years of nearby weather history and this calendar retimes itself.
Last frost: June 15
First frost: August 15
Winter lows: -55 to -50 °F
Zone 1b Almanac. What growers here actually recorded: sowing weeks, days to first pick, and yields.

Plan & order

  • Rotate families off last year's ground. Nightshades, brassicas and cucurbits each move to a new bed.

  • Soil testaround Mar 9

    A $20 test now tells you what to amend before planting instead of guessing all season.

Dormant care

  • Clean, sharpen and oil blades while there's time. Dull tools bruise plants and slow you down.

  • Prune apples, pears and peaches while fully dormant. Open the center, remove crossing wood.

Start indoors

  • A tray on the windowsill gives you a cut of fresh greens every 10-14 days through the cold months.

Turn this into your own calendar

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