What to plant in March — zone 6b
Zone 6b averages its last spring frost around April 25 and its first fall frost around October 15. Everything below is timed from those two dates, so it stays useful whether you're planting for summer or for a fall harvest.
Dormant care
- Pre-sprout seed potatoesaround Mar 14
Chit potatoes in a bright, cool spot for 2 weeks — sprouted pieces jump ahead once planted.
Start indoors
- Tomatoaround Mar 14
6 weeks of indoor growth before your last frost (04-25). Bury 2/3 of the transplant stem — roots form along the buried stem for a stronger plant.
- Kalearound Mar 14
6 weeks of indoor growth before your last frost (04-25). Fall crop sweetens after first frost — plan a July sowing for the best flavor.
- Broccoliaround Mar 14
6 weeks of indoor growth before your last frost (04-25). After cutting the main head, side shoots keep coming for weeks — don't pull the plant.
- Basilaround Mar 14
6 weeks of indoor growth before your last frost (04-25). Pinch tips weekly. Once flowers open, leaves lose flavor — snip them fast.
- Basilaround Mar 14
6 weeks of indoor growth before your last frost (04-25). Pinch flower spikes the moment you see them — leaves stay sweet all season.
- Lettucearound Mar 28
4 weeks of indoor growth before your last frost (04-25). Succession sow every 2 weeks. Harvest outer leaves for a cut-and-come-again supply.
Transplant out
- Raspberryaround Mar 14
Goes out 6 weeks before last frost — it takes the cold.
- Blueberryaround Mar 14
Goes out 6 weeks before last frost — it takes the cold.
- Blackberryaround Mar 14
Goes out 6 weeks before last frost — it takes the cold.
- Grapearound Mar 14
Goes out 6 weeks before last frost — it takes the cold.
- Applearound Mar 14
Goes out 6 weeks before last frost — it takes the cold.
- Peararound Mar 14
Goes out 6 weeks before last frost — it takes the cold.
- Peacharound Mar 14
Goes out 6 weeks before last frost — it takes the cold.
- Rhubarbaround Mar 14
Goes out 6 weeks before last frost — it takes the cold.
Garden care
- Wake the bedsaround Mar 21
Turn in compost, cut down cover crops, and let the soil warm two weeks before the first sowing.
- Harden off early transplantsaround Mar 28
Two weeks of increasing outdoor time keeps cold-hardy seedlings from stalling when they go out.
Direct sow
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