It's Time for March Gardening: Six Things to Plant

March is a busy month for gardeners in Southern and Central California – especially if you grow food plants. This is when many of us are pruning avocado trees, fertilizing citrus trees, amending the soil in our raised garden beds, refreshing mulch around our plants, pulling the tomato cages out of the shed, and replanting our gardens for the spring growing season. 

I am particularly fond of growing herbs and root vegetables and am a big fan of succession planting. March is the perfect month for all of this – plus, it is still cool enough outside to enjoy working in the garden – so this is one of my favorite growing seasons. 

In case you might be in need of a bit of spring gardening inspiration, here are six of my favorite things to plant in March. 

1. Potatoes – I have been known to line an entire fence with fabric pots planted with potatoes and sweet potatoes. I love to eat them, I love to grow them, and I love how easy they are to add to the garden. In fact, they are so easy to grow that I have volunteers that start coming up every year around February or March. Check out my column from October 2023 for a guide on how to grow organic potatoes even in the smallest of garden spaces. 

2. Carrots – Carrots are easy to grow from seed, require little care, and are perfect for succession planting. If you plant all of your carrots at the same time, they will all be ready for harvest at about the same time. If, instead, you plant about one-quarter or your carrot seeds every three weeks for the next 12 weeks, you will be able to harvest fresh carrots from your garden for months to come.

3. Beets – This is another root vegetable that is good for succession planting. Plant one-quarter of your crop every two weeks to extend the months that you will be enjoying fresh beets this year. 

4. Radishes – Radishes are easy to grow and ready to harvest in as few as 30 days, which makes this a great backyard crop for beginner gardeners or kids learning how to grow their own food. Plant a row each week to keep the fresh radishes coming into early summer.

5. Greens – Arugula, spinach, and many lettuces are ideal for succession planting. Plant rows or pots of spinach and most leafy lettuces about one week apart and arugula seeds about two weeks apart to make sure you will be enjoying fresh salads from your garden into summer. 

6. Herbs – I love growing culinary and medicinal herbs in my garden. Right now, my chamomile is in bloom, the sages I cut back a few months ago are filling in again, and my parsley and rosemary are thriving. This month, I am planning on planting more mint, cilantro, and oregano. If you are planning on adding mint to your garden, remember that it will take over if you let it. Plant it in a border or pot where there is a physical barrier keeping it from running amok. 

Aside from these March favorites, I will soon be planting tomatoes, basil, peppers, cucumbers, and squash.

Local nurseries are the best place to purchase seeds and seedlings. This is the best way to ensure you are buying food plants that will thrive here, while also supporting local farmers, the environment, and, of course, your local nursery. 

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AimeeJo Davis-Varela is a freelance writer specializing in real estate, sustainable home improvement, eco-friendly landscaping, and green living. She is also the owner of Mind Your Manors, which provides second home management services.