Waco Garden Calendar: March

Below you will find a list suggested plant dates for March!

March 23 is average date of the last spring from in Waco.  Instructions on seed packets will often say "plant after danger of frost." Well, ok, when is that? And how cold does it have to get for that frost to kill my plants?

Well, I looked it up and found that a frost of 29°F to 32°F will kill tender plants, but not damage most other plants. 25°F to 28°F is destructive to most vegetation, and frost 24°F and colder is REALLY BAD.  So check the weather this month when deciding how to protect your plants.

Direct Seed/Use Sets:
(Bolded means last month to plant these this season.)

Arugula (Mar 8-23)
Asparagus
Beans (snap and bush) (after March 5)
Beans, Lima (after March 15)
Beets (before Mar 30)
Cantaloupe (after March 15)
Cilantro***
Collards (before March 25)
Corn, sweet* (after March 23)
Green Beans (after March 30)
Lettuce** (before March 15)
Mustard
Onion (through March 16)***
Parsley (through March 8)**
Parsnips (through March 23)
Peas, Southern (after March 25)
Potato*
Radishes*
Turnip**  (before March 15)
Squash (after March 5)
Watermelon* (after March 15)



Plant Inside To Transplant Later:
(I only bold  things in this section that can't be planted directly, and this is the last month to start indoors to transplant)

Pumpkin (before March 16)
Zucchini (before March 8)


Plant Seedlings or Transplants:
Basil (after March 23)
Broccoli (before March 16)
Cabbage (before March 8)
Cauliflower (before March 16)
Kale (before March 16)
Kohlrabi (March 1-8)
Oregano (after March 23)
Swiss Chard (March 1-8)
Pepper** (after March 30)
Thyme (after March 23)
Tomato** (after March 30)

*Guides differ on whether you can plant this month

**Some differences between sources on exact dates when to plant, but they all said you can plant sometime this month.

***The Central Texas Community Garden Manual says plant seeds indoors this month, and the other guides say wait until February or mid-March and plant directly.  I've put cilantro seeds out starting in January, so I think anytime in March you want to plant them is fine.  No need to wait.



SOURCES:
The Central Texas Community Garden Manual
Texas A&M planting guide
Farmer's Almanac planting guide for Waco