What to plant in March — zone 7a
Zone 7a averages its last spring frost around April 15 and its first fall frost around October 25. 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 4
Chit potatoes in a bright, cool spot for 2 weeks — sprouted pieces jump ahead once planted.
Start indoors
- Tomatoaround Mar 4
6 weeks of indoor growth before your last frost (04-15). Bury 2/3 of the transplant stem — roots form along the buried stem for a stronger plant.
- Kalearound Mar 4
6 weeks of indoor growth before your last frost (04-15). Fall crop sweetens after first frost — plan a July sowing for the best flavor.
- Broccoliaround Mar 4
6 weeks of indoor growth before your last frost (04-15). After cutting the main head, side shoots keep coming for weeks — don't pull the plant.
- Basilaround Mar 4
6 weeks of indoor growth before your last frost (04-15). Pinch tips weekly. Once flowers open, leaves lose flavor — snip them fast.
- Basilaround Mar 4
6 weeks of indoor growth before your last frost (04-15). Pinch flower spikes the moment you see them — leaves stay sweet all season.
- Lettucearound Mar 18
4 weeks of indoor growth before your last frost (04-15). Succession sow every 2 weeks. Harvest outer leaves for a cut-and-come-again supply.
- Cucumberaround Mar 25
3 weeks of indoor growth before your last frost (04-15). Trellis vertically to double yield in the same footprint and cut mildew.
- Zucchiniaround Mar 25
3 weeks of indoor growth before your last frost (04-15). One plant feeds a family. Pick at 6-8 in for the sweetest fruit.
- Winter squasharound Mar 25
3 weeks of indoor growth before your last frost (04-15). Cure 10 days in a warm dry spot after harvest — the skin toughens and storage doubles.
- Watermelonaround Mar 25
3 weeks of indoor growth before your last frost (04-15). Ripe = tendril nearest the fruit is brown and the ground spot has turned buttery yellow.
- Cantaloupe / Melonaround Mar 25
3 weeks of indoor growth before your last frost (04-15). Ripe fruit slips off the vine with a gentle tug — the smell alone tells you.
Transplant out
- Raspberryaround Mar 4
Goes out 6 weeks before last frost — it takes the cold.
- Blueberryaround Mar 4
Goes out 6 weeks before last frost — it takes the cold.
- Blackberryaround Mar 4
Goes out 6 weeks before last frost — it takes the cold.
- Grapearound Mar 4
Goes out 6 weeks before last frost — it takes the cold.
- Applearound Mar 4
Goes out 6 weeks before last frost — it takes the cold.
- Peararound Mar 4
Goes out 6 weeks before last frost — it takes the cold.
- Peacharound Mar 4
Goes out 6 weeks before last frost — it takes the cold.
- Rhubarbaround Mar 4
Goes out 6 weeks before last frost — it takes the cold.
- Kalearound Mar 25
Goes out 3 weeks before last frost — it takes the cold.
- Broccoliaround Mar 25
Goes out 3 weeks before last frost — it takes the cold.
- Chivesaround Mar 25
Goes out 3 weeks before last frost — it takes the cold.
- Strawberryaround Mar 25
Goes out 3 weeks before last frost — it takes the cold.
Garden care
- Wake the bedsaround Mar 11
Turn in compost, cut down cover crops, and let the soil warm two weeks before the first sowing.
- Harden off early transplantsaround Mar 18
Two weeks of increasing outdoor time keeps cold-hardy seedlings from stalling when they go out.
Direct sow
- Peaaround Mar 11
Soil is ready -5 weeks before last frost.
- Lettucearound Mar 18
Soil is ready -4 weeks before last frost.
- Spinacharound Mar 18
Soil is ready -4 weeks before last frost.
- Radisharound Mar 18
Soil is ready -4 weeks before last frost.
- Carrotaround Mar 25
Soil is ready -3 weeks before last frost.
- Kalearound Mar 25
Soil is ready -3 weeks before last frost.
- Beetaround Mar 25
Soil is ready -3 weeks before last frost.
- Onionaround Mar 25
Soil is ready -3 weeks before last frost.
- Broccoliaround Mar 25
Soil is ready -3 weeks before last frost.
- Chivesaround Mar 25
Soil is ready -3 weeks before last frost.
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