What to Plant In March | Your Planting Guide for Zone 5

PLUS 5 Reasons Why You Should Grow Your Own Fruits and Vegetables

What to Plant In March | Your Planting Guide for Zone 5. Let’s face it, there are just so many reasons why you should be growing your own fruits and vegetables. And here are the top 5:
1) home grown produce are of better quality and taste better,
2) they’re fresh and haven’t been coated with wax (carnauba wax, beeswax, and shellac – which is used to prevent moisture loss, protection from bruising, and to increase shelf life at the store), 
3) YOU CAN BE ASSURED THERE ARE NO CHEMICALS IN YOUR FOOD since you are the one growing them,
4) you’ll save tons of money at the grocery store, AND
5) it gets you outside so you can soak up that Vitamin D and get you moving … as in exercise !!  It’s a win / win all around 🙂

Sound about right?

And now that the growing season is creeping upon us (damn, didn’t these past 3 months just fly by?), it’s time to start planning the garden, starting your seedlings, and even planting straight into the beds – yes, you can do this while living in Zone 5.

“Zone 5 is divided into zone 5a and zone 5b – with each varying somewhat regarding planting dates (often by a couple of weeks). Planting is dictated by the first frost free date and the last frost free date, which in the case of USDA zone 5, is May 30 and October 1” – from the USDA

My Zone 5 location is in NE Washington State, approximately 40 miles south of the Canadian Border. We’re a tad up a mountain so our elevation is at 2200 – making it a must to take necessary precautions when sowing seeds directly into the ground – and those precautions are heating up the soil first and then making sure we have row covers. Definitely a must if you want to plant a little earlier.

ZONE 5 – PLANTING GUIDE FOR MARCH
Which seeds can be PLANTED OUTSIDE in March for Zone 5

As soon as the soil is dry enough to work with – AND after your soil has been amended with compost and has been warmed for a couple of weeks, these seeds can be planted directly into the ground in March. And even tho they are ALL VERY HARDY PLANTS, make sure you have a light row fabric protection around the beds to help the plantings flourish.

Arugula
Beets
Bok Choy
Carrots
Chicory Cress
Kale
Leeks
Lettuce
Onions
Peas
Radish
Spinach
Swish Chard
Turnips

Potatoes – can be planted ONLY if you protect the plants from frost. It is now March 27th and I have planted my potatoes outside, but they’re in wooded skids that I made specifically for the potatoes – and they also have clear plastic around them to make sure they are protected from the frost.

PERENNIALS THAT CAN BE PLANTED NOW

Plant these once and they’ll continue to yield for you year after year
Asparagus
Rhubarb
Salisfy

ZONE 5 – PLANTING GUIDE FOR MARCH
Which seeds can be STARTED INSIDE in March for Zone 5

Start these now as the seedlings can be moved outside in 6 weeks and can be planted in mid-April. So if your goal is to have them in the ground by April’s end, make sure you start the seeds no later than March 10th.

They’ll all do very well in the cold and are pretty frost resistant, but you still may want to have some protection available just to guarantee them plenty of maturing time, especially if you live in an area or up a mountain like I do.

Broccoli
Brussels Sprouts
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Collards
Kale
Kohlrabi

START SEEDS NOW, BUT HOLD OFF UNTIL MAY TO PLANT OUTSIDE

Tomatoes
Peppers
Eggplant

Start these seeds indoors about 6-8 weeks before your last frost date. They can be planted outside earlier if you protect them with a “protection of walls of water” or protect them in a removable plastic framing structure. My experience: in the past I’ve moved my seedlings outside a few weeks earlier, making sure to cover them with pots and lids. But even tho I religiously covered them at night and removed the coverings during the day, they always seem to get stunted.

Now I just wait those extra couple weeks to plant them and never have any issues with them getting stunted – AND THEY FLOURISH. May 15th is when I set my tomatoes, peppers and eggplant seedlings outside.

What seeds you should hold off until April – see April’s Guide

Cucumbers
Pumpkins
Zucchini

And there you have it – What to Plant In March | Your Planting Guide for Zone 5. Check back and see what you can be starting and doing in April. Until then – HAPPY GARDENING 🙂