What to Plant in March in Zone 4
Here is what you can sow in March if you garden in USDA zone 4. Dates use typical zone 4 frosts, so your own microclimate may shift them by a week or two.
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| Crop | Window | Sow between |
|---|---|---|
| Snap PeaSugar Snap | spring | Mar 19 – Apr 30 |
| SpinachBloomsdale | spring | Mar 19 – Apr 30 |
| CabbageTiara | spring | Mar 19 – Apr 16 |
| BroccoliBelstar | spring | Mar 19 – Apr 16 |
| CauliflowerSnow Crown | spring | Mar 19 – Apr 15 |
| Onion, bulbTexas Legend | spring | Mar 2 – Apr 15 |
| Fava Bean (Broad Bean)Broad Windsor | spring | Mar 29 – Apr 30 |
| English Shelling PeaLittle Marvel | spring | Mar 19 – Apr 30 |
| Napa CabbageBlues F1 | spring | Mar 26 – Apr 20 |
| Bok ChoyJoi Choi F1 | spring | Mar 29 – Apr 26 |
| Rapini (Broccoli Raab)Zamboni F1 | spring | Mar 21 – Apr 20 |
| Gai Lan (Chinese Broccoli)Crispy Blue | spring | Mar 23 – Apr 22 |
| TatsoiTatsoi | spring | Mar 16 – Apr 20 |
| MizunaMizuna Early | spring | Mar 16 – Apr 26 |
| Daikon RadishMiyashige | spring | Mar 26 – Apr 20 |
| SorrelProfusion | spring | Mar 19 – Apr 30 |
| ParsnipHollow Crown | spring | Feb 15 – Mar 29 |
| LeekLincoln | spring | Feb 15 – Mar 29 |
| ShallotAmbition | spring | Mar 15 – Apr 19 |
| SalsifyMammoth Sandwich Island | spring | Mar 15 – Apr 19 |
| CeleriacPrinz | spring | Feb 1 – Mar 15 |
| Fennel, FlorenceOrion | spring | Mar 29 – May 3 |
| Onion | spring | Mar 2 – Apr 15 |
| Mache (Corn Salad)Vit | spring | Mar 26 – May 3 |
Zone 4 in March
March in Zone 4: A Narrower Window Than the Longer Season Suggests
Parsnip, leek, and celeriac starts close out this month
It seems backward, but the milder stretch that gives this zone its longer overall season does not widen every individual window. Parsnip, leek, and celeriac all drop off this month's list after March, so any seed you have not started or sown by the last week belongs in next year's plan instead of this one.
Parsnip seed loses viability fast once opened, often dropping below 50 percent germination after just a single year in storage, so buy fresh seed for this crop specifically rather than reaching for a packet left over from 2 seasons back.
Fennel joins the table earlier here than it does one zone north
Florence fennel is new to this month's list, a crop that needs consistently cool soil to bulb properly rather than bolt to seed. Direct seed it once soil holds around 50 degrees at a 2 inch depth, and expect germination within 10 to 14 days in soil this cool.
Thin seedlings to 8 inches apart once they show 2 true leaves. Crowded fennel bolts far more readily than fennel given real room, and a bolted plant produces no usable bulb at all, just a woody stalk and a mess of flowers.
Hold off on any tender crop this month regardless of how mild the afternoons feel. A run of 60 degree days in March is common here and does not mean soil has warmed enough for anything beyond these cold-season starts, so treat the mild spell as a bonus for outdoor chores, not a green light for the garden.
March in zone 4: common questions
What can I plant in March in zone 4?+
In March, USDA zone 4 gardeners can sow Snap Pea, Spinach, Cabbage, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Onion, bulb, and more. Dates use typical zone 4 frosts, so your own microclimate may shift them by a week or two.
What USDA hardiness zone am I in?+
Zone 4 is one band of the map, but planting time is set by your local frost dates, not the zone number. Enter your ZIP code in the free planner and it uses your actual frost dates, which can differ by weeks within a single zone.
Are these March planting dates exact?+
They are typical zone 4 windows. Two gardens in the same zone can be a week or two apart because of elevation and local climate, so treat these as a starting point and tune them to your ZIP code with the free planner.