WHAT TO PLANT IN
March

Central/Midwest Region

Central-Midwest Gardening Region map

lettuceBP

Most plants are very sensitive to day length. When day length increases, they immediately begin to add new growth. Tomatoes and other seedlings can catch this wave of momentum; large containers will keep them from becoming root-bound before outdoor temperatures warm.

Gardener's Almanac, February-March 2004

If you're not sure how to start seeds or when to set out transplants, see the Resources section below. Please share timely tips for coping with regional gardening issues in the comments section.

To read more about what to plant in other months and regions, visit our What to Plant Now home page.

Top Crops for Central and Midwest Gardening:

Here are the Top Ten crops for the Midwest region, followed by other recommended crops, as rated in our National Survey of Most Productive Garden Crops. (The criteria for selection include ease of culture, efficient use of garden space and time, ease of storage and desirability at the table.) The recommended crops are sorted by plant family to help you plan rotations so that the same plant families are not grown consecutively in the same area, as much as possible.

Top 10 Crops: Central and Midwest Region

1. Slicing tomato
2. Sweet pepper
3. Cherry tomato
4. Onion
5. Bush snap bean
6. Carrot
7. Garlic
8. Paste tomato
9. Snow/snap pea
10. Lettuce

Other Highly Recommended Crops:

Cabbage family: Broccoli, cabbage, collards, kale, kohlrabi

Cucumber family: Cucumber, pumpkin, summer squash, winter squash

Leafy greens: Arugula, chard, mustard (all types), pac choi, sorrel, spinach, turnip

Legumes: Dry soup beans, pole snap beans, shell peas, Southern peas

Root crops: Beet, parsnip, potato, rutabaga, shallot, turnip

Tomato family: Hot peppers, tomatillo

Miscellaneous: Asparagus, leek, okra, rhubarb, scallion, sweet corn

VEGETABLES	Sow Indoors	Sow Outdoors	Transplant
Arugula		XXX
Asparagus			XXX
Beet		XXX
Broccoli	XXX
Brussels sprouts	XXX
Cabbage	XXX		XXX
Cauliflower	XXX
Carrot		XXX
Celery	XXX
Chard	XXX
Eggplant	XXX
Endive	XXX	XXX	XXX
Fava bean		XXX
Fennel, bulb	XXX
Kale	XXX		XXX
Kohlrabi	XXX	XXX	XXX
Leek	XXX		XXX
Lettuce	XXX	XXX	XXX
Mache		XXX
Onions, bulb	XXX		XXX
Pac choi	XXX	XXX	XXX
Parsnip		XXX
Peas (snow, shell, snap)		XXX
Peppers	XXX
Potatoes		XXX
Radishes		XXX
Rhubarb			XXX
Radicchio	XXX	XXX	XXX
Scallion (green onion)	XXX		XXX
Shallot			XXX
Sorrel		XXX
Spinach		XXX	XXX
Tomato	XXX
Turnip		XXX

CULINARY HERBS	Sow Indoors	Sow Outdoors	Transplant
Basil	XXX
Chives	XXX	XXX	XXX
Cilantro	XXX	XXX
Fennel, leaf	XXX		XXX
Horseradish			XXX
Marjoram	XXX
Parsley	XXX	XXX	XXX
Rosemary	XXX
Sage	XXX
Savory, summer	XXX
Thyme	XXX		XXX

RESOURCES

* To learn more about when to sow seeds (indoors and outdoors) or when to transplant your seedlings to the garden, see: Know When to Plant What: Find Your Average Last Spring Frost Date.

* To learn more about how to start seeds, check out Seed-starting Basics. For a primer on how to transplant seedlings, see Garden Transplanting: Expert Advice.

* Find garden seeds from great mail-order companies with our Plant and Seed Finder.

* Learn more about high-quality seeds and great seed companies in Best Seeds for a Bigger, Better Garden and Best Garden Seed Companies, or through our seed company directory.

* You might also try swapping seeds locally.

* For tips on growing everything from apples to zucchini, see our Organic Gardening homepage.

Comments

kristi 3/27/2009 3:42:41 PM

Considering that it's only 28 degrees in MN right now with lows of 18-31 this week, I am going to guess that I shouldn't plant ANYTHING outside for the rest of March at least.
This information is WAY too vague to be useful. Mpls is right on the border of two areas that seem to encompass varying climates. How about referring to the USDA Zones instead?

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WHAT TO PLANT IN
March

Central/Midwest Region

Most plants are very sensitive to day length. When day length increases, they immediately begin to add new growth. Tomatoes and other seedlings can catch this wave of momentum; large containers will keep them from becoming root-bound before outdoor temperatures warm.

Gardener's Almanac, February-March 2004

If you're not sure how to start seeds or when to set out transplants, see the Resources section below. Please share timely tips for coping with regional gardening issues in the comments section.

To read more about what to plant in other months and regions, visit our What to Plant Now home page.

Top 10 Crops: Central and Midwest Region

1. Slicing tomato
2. Sweet pepper
3. Cherry tomato
4. Onion
5. Bush snap bean
6. Carrot
7. Garlic
8. Paste tomato
9. Snow/snap pea
10. Lettuce

Other Highly Recommended Crops:

RESOURCES

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WHAT TO PLANT IN March

Central/Midwest Region

Most plants are very sensitive to day length. When day length increases, they immediately begin to add new growth. Tomatoes and other seedlings can catch this wave of momentum; large containers will keep them from becoming root-bound before outdoor temperatures warm.

Gardener's Almanac, February-March 2004

If you're not sure how to start seeds or when to set out transplants, see the Resources section below. Please share timely tips for coping with regional gardening issues in the comments section.

To read more about what to plant in other months and regions, visit our What to Plant Now home page.

Top 10 Crops: Central and Midwest Region

1. Slicing tomato 2. Sweet pepper 3. Cherry tomato 4. Onion 5. Bush snap bean 6. Carrot 7. Garlic 8. Paste tomato 9. Snow/snap pea 10. Lettuce

Other Highly Recommended Crops:

RESOURCES

Comments

Asterisks(*) indicate required fields.

Your name appears next to your comment.

This will be your login ID.

Forgot your password?

1500 character limit (Offensive materials and/or spam will be removed, no HTML allowed)

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Subscribe Today - Pay Now & Save 72% Off the Cover Price

Canadian subs: 1 year, (includes postage & GST). Foreign subs: 1 year, . U.S. funds. Canadian Subscribers - Click Here Non US and Canadian Subscribers - Click Here

Lighten the Strain on the Earth and Your Budget

WHAT TO PLANT IN
March

1. Slicing tomato
2. Sweet pepper
3. Cherry tomato
4. Onion
5. Bush snap bean
6. Carrot
7. Garlic
8. Paste tomato
9. Snow/snap pea
10. Lettuce

Canadian subs: 1 year, (includes postage & GST). Foreign subs: 1 year, . U.S. funds.
Canadian Subscribers - Click Here
Non US and Canadian Subscribers - Click Here

**Lighten the Strain on the Earth and Your Budget**