Don’t Miss the Vital March Growing Window – Plant These 7 Vegetables Now for Delicious Summer Harvests
All of these veggies are so simple to grow
Spring is here, and the days are getting longer. As the soil warms up now is a key time to make the first outdoor sowings of the many easy vegetables to plant in March that will bring great results.
Once spring arrives, my thoughts always shift towards being outside in the garden again – on warm days anyway. There’s a real sense of looking forward and a keenness to gear up for the growing season ahead. If you're new to growing your own, working out the easiest vegetables to grow in March is a good place to start to help you get up to speed.
1. Summer Cabbage
One of my favorite vegetables to plant in March is cabbage. It's so rewarding to grow as it develops into giant heads of leaves so fresh they squeak when you prep them for cooking. Packed with crunch and flavour, homegrown cabbages are a world away from store-bought varieties.
It's not too late to sow seeds now for a spring harvest, as it is a fast-growing vegetable. I prefer to start my cabbage seeds indoors around now, in seed trays placed on heat mats like this durable seedling heat mat from Amazon.
Seeds need to be kept consistently moist while they germinate. Once they sprout a few sets of leaves, which usually takes around 5-6 weeks, they can be transplanted directly into the ground, spacing them about 2 feet apart to give them enough room.
This year I'm trying the new Saku Saku cabbage variety from Burpee, which is available as seeds and young plants.
Cabbages are greedy feeders, so apply a high nitrogen fertilizer for plants such as this one by the The Grow Co, available from Amazon, until the heads begin to form.
Young plants need watering regularly too. It's a good idea to protect cabbage plants from pests by covering them. I grow my cabbages in hoops made from PVC pipes with mesh stretched over to stop the birds nibbling them.
2. Onions
Last year I planted my onions way too late and as a result the harvest was very disappointing.
The late planting was compounded by a very dry spring. Onions need water to grow larger, so when I eventually picked the crop in summer some of them had barely increased from the size they were when I planted them.
One of the most useful vegetables you can grow, onions are a cool-season crop that can be started in March. I always use onion sets, which are small onion bulbs especially prepped for planting.
Buy them according to the part of the country you live in. Look for short-day onions if you live in the south, while it's best to choose long-day onions for northern latitudes. Intermediate-day onions are also available, which are suitable for central locations. Find a selection to choose from for all hardiness zones here at Burpee.
Onions like a sunny location and well-drained soil. Plant the sets pointed end up, about 1 inch deep and 4 inches apart. Onions quickly become established and require very little attention unless there is a lack of rainfall, in which case you will need to water them regularly.
3. Kohlrabi
I grew green kohlrabi for the first time last year and was so impressed I'm growing it again. I like kohlrabi as it's one of those vegetables where you use all the parts, as both the stem and leaves are edible.
This time I'm trying purple kohlrabi too and I've chosen these organic heirloom 'Purple Vienna' seeds from Amazon, with a mildly sweet flavor and tender greens that can also be eaten raw.
The combination of green and purple will make a stunning addition to the garden too. Kohlrabi thrives in full sun and well-draining soil that's rich in nutrients.
The seeds can be sown directly in the ground if conditions are suitable or started indoors in seed trays if you live in a cold climate. Use a heat mat to provide warmth during germination, and ensure the trays remain consistently moist.
Kohlrabi seedlings are ready for transplanting when they have developed a couple of sets of true leaves. Then use a nitrogen-based fertilizer every 4 to 6 weeks for best results.
4. Chili peppers
I find that chillies are one of the best vegetables to plant in March as they need a long growing season, so it's a good idea to get going with them as soon as you can. Sow seeds indoors now to give them the time they need to reach maturity in late summer/early fall.
I'm mixing things up a little this year with a combo of different colors and varieties. This Salsa Blend from Burpee has red, yellow, orange and green varieties including 'Hungarian Wax', 'Anaheim Chili', 'Long Slim Red' Cayenne, 'Ancho' (Poblano) and 'Jalapeno M'.
Fill a tray with seed compost to a depth of ½ inch and push in the seeds. Transfer to a warm place – if necessary use a heat mat until the seeds have germinated. Keep the soil moist. Transplant seedlings when they have a couple of sets of true leaves.
Once it gets warmer move the plants outside, planting them either in the ground or in containers.. Chillies thrive in full sun and like well-drained, fertile soil.
5. Spinach
Leafy green spinach is one of the best vegetables to plant in March for instant gratification as it grows so rapidly – around a month from sowing seeds to picking a plentiful supply of fresh leaves to enjoy.
This cool-season vegetable likes a sunny spot with well-drained soil. It can be either started indoors from seed then transplanted outside or planted directly in the ground or in containers.
If you want to grow outside now is the time to sow spinach seeds like this crinkly-leaved heirloom 'Bloomsdale' organic variety from Amazon. Wait for a spell of fine weather at a depth of about an inch, spacing them 4 to 5 inches apart. Water thoroughly and maintain a consistent soil moisture.
As with lettuce and salad leaves, I always make sure I sow a scattering of seeds every couple of weeks to keep my spinach crop producing consistently.
6. Early Potatoes
March is a key time to plant early potato varieties, which will need chitting beforehand. This is the process of letting seed potatoes sprout before planting them outside. I use empty egg cartons for this and just stick them on the windowsill. Main crop varieties can be grown directly outdoors once the threat of frost has passed.
If you're planning on growing potatoes in the ground, enrich the soil with organic compost and all-purpose fertilizer before planting. At this stage phosphorus and potassium are the key nutrients to boost growth cycle, so try a seed potato fertiliser like this one by Wicked Growth from Amazon, which is packed with beneficial ingredients.
Place the potato in the bottom of a trench with the eyes facing upwards, and cover with soil. Once the plants have grown to around 10 inches tall, mound them up with more soil to protect tubers from the light and prevent them going green.
Potatoes need consistent moisture throughout their growth period. Water around the base of the plants, avoiding the leaves. It's a good idea to add a layer of mulch to aid moisture retention in the soil.
7. Tomatoes
One of my favorite things to grow, last year I had such a bumper crop of tomatoes that this year I'm going to do successional seed planting to spread out the harvest. Last year I grew three different varieties and I'm adding a couple of extra ones to the mix this time round.
I love the look of the new 'Rain Drops' cherry tomato from Burpee, which promises cascades of fruit in dense clusters, plus the cold-tolerant 'Early Bird' variety, also from Burpee, as the seeds can be sown directly outdoors.
Once I start sowing tomato seeds indoors in March it feels like the new growing season is really happening. You need to start tomato seeds off around eight weeks before you plan to transplant them outside.
Again, it's a case of filling a seed tray with seed compost and sowing 1-2 seeds per cell around ½ inch deep. Keep the soil evenly moist during the germination phase. It's also a good idea to use a heat mat to speed up growth.
Tomato seedlings are ready to transplant when they grow a couple of sets of their true leaves. Before moving plants outside it's important to harden them off gradually so outdoor temperatures aren't a shock.
Finding out when to plant vegetables can be tricky. To get your season underway find out some of the easiest vegetables to grow.
There are more crops you can add to your seed sowing schedule for March too. On top of those already covered, you can also start growing kale, sweet peppers, eggplant, and leeks, as well as a good selection to max up your summer herb garden ideas.
