Zone 5 · March · 7 weeks before last frost
What to plant in March in Zone 5
Typical last frost in zone 5 is around Apr 30, and first frost around Oct 5. 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.
- Cherry Tomato — window Mar 19 – Apr 2 (5 gal, 12" deep)
- Basil — window Mar 19 – Apr 2 (2 gal, 8" deep)
- Kale — window Mar 26 – Apr 9 (3 gal, 10" deep)
- Hot Pepper — window Mar 5 – Mar 19 (3 gal, 12" deep)
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.
No transplanting window is open this month here.
Direct sow
Sow straight into the final pot. These crops resent root disturbance, and transplanting them usually costs more time than it saves.
No direct-sowing window this month in this zone.
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
Nothing from our dataset is in its harvest window this month here.
Not this month
- Bush Bean — next window opens in May. Starting it now means 2 months of impatient waiting, or a plant that stalls.
Zone 5 at a glance
Zone 5 gets about 140 frost-free days, which fits two full seasons: cool crops in spring, warm crops in summer, greens again in autumn.
Next and previous
— · —