Zone 10 · March · 4 weeks after last frost
What to plant in March in Zone 10
Typical last frost in zone 10 is around Feb 15, and first frost around Dec 1. This is the month the season splits: cold zones are still starting seed indoors, warm zones are harvesting spring greens and setting out their first tomatoes.
Start indoors this month
Seed trays indoors, under a light or in the brightest window you have. These are slow crops that need a head start on the season.
Nothing in our dataset needs an indoor start this month in this zone.
Set out into the final container
Transplants go into the pot they will finish in. Hardening them off for four to five days first prevents most transplant shock.
- Cherry Tomato — window Feb 22 – Mar 4 (5 gal, 12" deep)
- Basil — window Mar 1 – Mar 11 (2 gal, 8" deep)
- Bush Cucumber — window Feb 22 – Mar 4 (5 gal, 12" deep)
- Zucchini — window Feb 22 – Mar 4 (7 gal, 14" deep)
- Hot Pepper — window Mar 1 – Mar 11 (3 gal, 12" deep)
Direct sow
Sow straight into the final pot. These crops resent root disturbance, and transplanting them usually costs more time than it saves.
- Bush Bean — window Feb 22 – Mar 15 (3 gal, 9" deep)
- Bush Cucumber — window Feb 22 – Mar 15 (5 gal, 12" deep)
- Zucchini — window Feb 22 – Mar 15 (7 gal, 14" deep)
Sow for autumn
A second sowing timed backwards from first frost. Fewer pests, less watering, and better flavour in most cool crops.
No autumn sowing window opens this month in this zone.
Harvesting this month
- Radish — harvest from Feb 22 (1 gal, 6" deep)
- Kale — harvest from Mar 28 (3 gal, 10" deep)
- Spinach — harvest from Mar 11 (2 gal, 6" deep)
Not this month
- Loose-leaf Lettuce — next window opens in October. Starting it now means 7 months of impatient waiting, or a plant that stalls.
- Carrot — next window opens in October. Starting it now means 7 months of impatient waiting, or a plant that stalls.
Zone 10 at a glance
Zone 10 is close to frost-free, which inverts the calendar: 'cool season' means winter, and summer is genuinely hostile to lettuce and spinach.