What to Plant in March — Zone 3
Short growing season with harsh winters. Focus on cold-hardy and fast-maturing varieties.
Quick Answer
In zone 3 during March, early spring — soil preparation begins, cool-season crops go outside, and indoor seedlings need attention. Your key tasks this month: start tomatoes, broccoli, and cabbage indoors, sow lettuce and herbs under lights, and prune dormant fruit trees and berry bushes.
March Gardening Tasks for Zone 3
March is early spring — soil preparation begins, cool-season crops go outside, and indoor seedlings need attention. Zone 3 has a frost-free window from June 1 – Sept 1, which shapes what you can plant and when. Here is your complete task list:
Plant Guides for This Month
These plants are mentioned in your March tasks. Read their full growing guides for detailed planting instructions:
Tomato
America's most popular garden vegetable, tomatoes come in thousands of varieties…
Lettuce
Lettuce is the perfect beginner crop—fast-growing, forgiving, and endlessly vers…
Broccoli
Homegrown broccoli has a depth of flavor that supermarket heads simply can't mat…
Cabbage
Cabbage is a cool-weather workhorse that stores for months and serves as the bas…
Helpful Guides for March
These gardening guides are especially useful this time of year:
- Seed Starting Indoors — essential if you're starting transplants this month
- Companion Planting Guide — plan your layout for maximum yield
- Organic Pest Control — prepare defenses as the season progresses
- Building Better Soil — start any month to improve next season's harvests
- Pest & Disease Library — identify and solve common garden problems organically
- Browse All Plant Guides — detailed growing instructions for every crop
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I plant in March in zone 3?
In zone 3 during March, focus on: Start tomatoes, broccoli, and cabbage indoors. Sow lettuce and herbs under lights. Prune dormant fruit trees and berry bushes. The frost-free period for zone 3 is June 1 – Sept 1.
Is it too late to plant in March in zone 3?
March is a productive month in zone 3. Short growing season with harsh winters. Focus on cold-hardy and fast-maturing varieties. Check each crop's days to maturity against your remaining frost-free window (June 1 – Sept 1).
What is USDA zone 3?
USDA Zone 3 has a frost-free growing season from approximately June 1 – Sept 1. Short growing season with harsh winters. Focus on cold-hardy and fast-maturing varieties.