March is the perfect time to get those tomato and pepper seeds started indoors ready for an early spring planting! Also a great time to start planting those cool weather vegetables that can withstand those last frost days of March and April. Check out this information from Urban Farmer.
Beets
Sow beets now for a fast, early summer treat.
Suggested variety: Detroit Dark Red
Broccoli
If you live in a warmer climate and can find a quick growing Broccoli variety you can harvest until it bolts in the hot summer sun!
Suggested variety: Calabrese
Cabbage
Cabbage is one of the easier plants to grow in the garden. Select a variety that is right for your location (size and maturity length). Be sure to fertilize and water when cabbage head begins to form.
Suggested variety: Premium Late Flat Dutch, Golden Acre, Michihili
Carrots
Planting carrots by mid-July yields a fall crop that will keep in the garden until used.
Suggested variety: Little Finger, Scarlet Nantes
Corn
One of the most rewarding and fast growing crops to grow. Corn is delicious when cooked only minutes after being pulled off the stalk. Try a small plot of corn, working your way to a large field of several varieties.
Suggested variety: Peaches and Cream, Incredible, Sugar Buns
Cucumbers
Fast growing vine or bush cucumber plants can produce an abundance of cucumber fruits. Be careful to pick a variety for the space you have in your garden. Vine cucumbers can be the best tasting but need far more space than bush varieties.
Suggest variety: Spacemaster 80, Muncher, Marketmore 76
Herbs:
Plant heat loving herbs like basil, oregano, thyme and sage.
Suggested varieties: Italian Basil, Greek Oregano, Dill
Lettuce
Start a crop of salad mix greens that gets bright sun but not all day. Great for late summer and early fall crops.
Suggested Varieties: Buttercrunch, Mesclun Mix, Black Seeded Simpson
Melons
Melons are some of the most rewarding plants to grow. Great for hot, long summers. A staple for summer picnics and family fun.
Suggested variety: Sugar Baby, Crimson Sweet, Hales Best
Onions
Get those onion seeds growing. Be careful to select an onion variety appropriate for your garden zone. Northern areas should plant long day onions. Southern regions should plant short day onions. Onion seeds can be started both indoor and outdoors but for best results seedlings should be started indoors. When ready to transplant, place onions 3 to 4 inches apart, in rows divided by 15” inches. Onions grow best in rich soft soil, but can grow well in most soils especially with fertilizer. Keep the soil moist and allow good drainage.
Suggest variety: Sweet White Walla, Red Creol, Yellow Spanish
Peas
Green peas and sugar peas are good to plant in July, and will produce a moderate fall harvest. Peas are a hardy crop that can provide an abundant harvest in a limited amount of space. There are four main varieties of peas that are grown in the home garden. Garden peas (English peas) have hard outer shell and must be removed. Snap peas have low-fiber pods and are snapped and eaten before the seeds mature. Snow or Sugar peas should be eaten whole with both pod and seeds. Lastly, Cowpeas are shelling peas with excellent flavor. Pea seeds should be directly sowed into your garden in early spring. When the seeds begin to germinate they will need a trellis or staking to provide the necessary support. In order to extend harvesting and yield try sowing seeds every week. Peas plants should be spaced every 5” inches. Peas are heavy feeders and will do best with occasional fertilizer. Too much fertilizer can increase foliage but decrease pea yield. Lastly, keep the soil moist and harvest mature pods to keep plant productive.
Suggested variety: Sugar Ann, Oregon Giant
Peppers
Fresh, crisp peppers are a garden favorite. Peppers take up little space and can produce high yields when planted close together. Plant as many different varieties as possible. They come small, big, hot, mild, and an array of different colors. Peppers come in a variety of shapes and sizes as well as a varying degree of sweet to very hot peppers. Today’s gardeners enjoy a large selection of home garden peppers; green bell peppers by far being the most popular choice. Peppers can be sowed both indoor and outdoor but for best results we recommend starting pepper seeds indoors, eight to ten weeks or more before the last frost date for your location. Pepper seeds are difficult seed to germinate and seedlings tend to grow slow as well. One way to increase seed germination is to provide a bottom heat to your soil raising it to 80 degrees. This will increase higher and quicker seed germination. When transplanting your pepper plants space 18-24” apart and 24” between rows. Select a location that receives full sun an add plenty of fertilizer to the garden soil. Keep soil moist but not wet.
Suggested variety: California Wonder, Early Jalapeno, Sweet Banana, Super Chili
Spinach
Spinach is more of a cool weather vegetable and will produce until hot weather of summer. Planting in early March will ensure you have plenty of harvest before bolting.
Suggested variety: Bloomsdale, Samish
Tomatoes
The most popular garden vegetable. Tomatoes are by far the most popular vegetable in home gardens being grown in over 85% of them. There are many different types including beefsteak, heirlooms, organic, cherry, paste, mid-size, early ripening and the list goes on. Tomato seeds should be started indoors for best germination results. Start the seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before the last frost date for your location. Plant 1/4” deep using sterile soil. This helps prevent disease and other problems. The tomato seeds will germinate best if the soil is kept between 80 to 90 degrees. Water lightly and keep the soil consistently moist until germination occurs. When ready to transplant be sure to harden the young plants or by placing increasing time outside for a 1 week period. Transplant tomato plants 32” apart and 32” between rows. The more space the better. Plant in a location with full sun and provide fertilizer when needed.
Suggested variety: Brandywine, Cherokee Purple, Roma, Sweetie, Heirloom Blend
Check out Urban Farmer’s Calendar here and their planting guide here.