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.

For planting times specific to your zip code, check out the MOTHER EARTH NEWS Vegetable Garden Planner. 

Top Crops for the Southwest Region:
 

Here are the Top Ten crops for the Southwest 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: Southwest Region

1. Potato
2. Garlic
3. Cherry tomato
4. Bulb onion
5. Slicing tomato
6. Carrot
7. Summer squash
8. Snow/snap pea
9. Paste tomato
10. Sweet pepper

Other Highly Recommended Crops:

Cabbage family:  Kale, kohlrabi 

Cucumber family:  Cucumber, pumpkin, winter squash 

Leafy greens:  Arugula, chard, Chinese cabbage, mache, lettuce, pac choi, spinach 

Legumes:  Dry soup beans, edamame, fava bean, snap beans, snow/snap and shell peas, Southern peas

Root crops:  Beet, radish, rutabaga, shallot, sunchoke, sweet potato 

Tomato family:  Eggplant, peppers (all types), tomatillo

Miscellaneous: Bulb fennel, leek, okra, rhubarb, scallions 

VEGETABLES 

Sow Indoors   

Sow Outdoors  

Transplant 

Artichoke, globe 

Beet 

XXX 

Carrot 

XXX 

Chard 

XXX 

Corn, sweet 

Melons 

XXX 

XXX 

Peanuts 

XXX 

Peppers 

Radishes 

XXX 

Scallion (green onion)  

XXX 

Spinach 

XXX 

XXX 

Watermelon 

XXX 

CULINARY HERBS  

Sow Indoors   

Sow Outdoors  

Transplant 

Basil 

Chives 

Cilantro 

Dill 

Fennel, leaf  

XXX 

Marjoram  

 XXX 

Parsley  

 XXX 

Rosemary 

Sage 

Savory, summer  

 XXX 

Thyme 

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.