Planting guide

What to plant in Zone 8 in March

USDA Zone 8 · US Northern Hemisphere March

March is the turning month in the zone 8 South: the cool-season garden is at its peak, and the average last frost passes somewhere between early and late March. Plant the last hardy crops early in the month and the first warm-season crops once your frost date is behind you. In the Pacific Northwest, March is still an early spring month; see the notes below.

Plant now

Seed potatoes (early in the month)Solanum tuberosum

Last good window in the South. Later plantings run into heat before the tubers size up.

Lettuce, carrots, beets, radish

Final sowings early in the month; pick quick varieties.

Tomato transplants (after your last frost)Solanum lycopersicum

Late March in most of the zone 8 South, with frost cloth ready for a cold night.

Bush beans and sweet corn (late month)

Direct-sow once your frost date has passed and the soil reaches about 60°F (16°C).

Cucumbers and summer squash (late month)

Direct-sow after the last frost, or set out transplants started indoors in early March.

Peppers and eggplant

Keep growing them indoors: they go out in early April, once nights stay above 50°F (10°C).

Timing notes

  • Look up the average last frost for your own town; the zone number is a winter-minimum band, not a planting date.
  • In the Pacific Northwest (Seattle, Portland), March is for peas, fava beans, spinach, lettuce and onion sets, with potatoes going in late in the month. Start tomatoes indoors now for a May plant-out.
  • Harden off indoor-grown seedlings for 7-10 days before planting out: a few hours outside at first, building to a full day and night.
Frost dates and a seed-starting schedule for your ZIP code Free calculator from NOAA station records: last spring frost, first fall frost, and what to start each week. ← All planting guides