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Zone 8B — March

What to Plant in March in Zone 8B

March in Zone 8B: 2 crops to start indoors, 97 to plant or direct sow outside, and 28 entering harvest window. Last frost averages February 18. Reference city: Houston, TX.
2 Start Indoors
97 Plant Outside
28 Harvest

Start Indoors in March

Plant Type Start Indoors Transplant Outside Harvest Window
Chayote squash vegetable Mar 4 Mar 4 Jul 2 – Aug 1
Nopales pads vegetable Mar 4 Mar 4 May 3 – Jul 2

Plant Outside in March

Plant Type Action Target Date Harvest Window
Amish Paste Tomatoes tomato Transplant Mar 4 May 17 – May 28
Anaheim Peppers pepper Transplant Mar 4 May 20 – May 28
Anise hyssop leaves and flowers flower Transplant Mar 4 May 18 – Jun 2
Bachelor's button edible flowers flower Transplant Mar 4 May 3 – May 23
Banana Peppers pepper Transplant Mar 11 May 10 – May 20
Beefsteak Tomatoes tomato Transplant Mar 4 May 23 – May 28
Better Boy Tomatoes tomato Transplant Mar 4 May 13 – May 18
Bhut Jolokia Ghost Pepper pepper Transplant Mar 4 Jun 2 – Jul 2
Big Jim Hatch Chile pepper Transplant Mar 4 May 13 – May 18
Bitter melons vegetable Transplant Mar 4 May 18 – Jun 2
Black Beauty Zucchini squash Transplant Mar 1 Apr 15 – Apr 25
Black Cherry Tomato tomato Transplant Mar 4 May 7 – May 18
Black Krim Tomatoes tomato Transplant Mar 4 May 18 – May 23
Black Oil Sunflower Microgreens microgreen Transplant Mar 4 Mar 11 – Mar 16
Brandywine Tomatoes tomato Transplant Mar 4 May 23 – Jun 2
Broccolini brassica Transplant Mar 4 Apr 23 – May 13
Brussels Sprouts brassica Transplant Mar 4 May 28 – Jun 22
Butternut Squash squash Transplant Mar 4 Jun 12 – Jul 2
California Wonder Peppers pepper Transplant Mar 11 May 22 – May 25
Cantaloupe melon Transplant Mar 4 May 23 – Jun 2
Caribbean Red Scotch Bonnet Pepper pepper Transplant Mar 4 Jun 7 – Jul 2
Carolina Reaper peppers pepper Transplant Mar 4 Jun 2 – Jul 2
Cayenne Peppers pepper Transplant Mar 4 May 28 – Jun 7
Celebrity Tomatoes tomato Transplant Mar 4 May 13 – May 15
Celeste Fig fruit Plant Out Mar 4 Mar 4 – Mar 3
Chayote squash vegetable Transplant Mar 4 Jul 2 – Aug 1
Cherokee Purple Tomatoes tomato Transplant Mar 4 May 21 – May 28
Cherry Bomb peppers pepper Transplant Mar 4 May 18 – May 23
Chicago Hardy Fig fruit Plant Out Mar 4 Mar 4 – Mar 3
Corno di Toro Pepper pepper Transplant Mar 4 May 18 – May 23
Crosne tubers root_vegetable Transplant Mar 4 Aug 31 – Oct 10
Cubanelle Peppers pepper Transplant Mar 11 May 12 – May 20
Culinary Turmeric root_vegetable Transplant Mar 11 Nov 6 – Jan 5
Cupid Grape Tomato tomato Transplant Mar 4 May 8 – May 13
Datil peppers pepper Transplant Mar 4 Jun 2 – Jun 22
Delica kabocha squash squash Transplant Mar 4 Jun 7 – Jun 22
Early Girl Tomatoes tomato Transplant Mar 4 Apr 25 – May 5
Elephant garlic bulbs root_vegetable Transplant Mar 4 Aug 31 – Oct 30
Fresno Peppers pepper Transplant Mar 4 May 18 – May 23
Genovese Basil herb Transplant Mar 4 May 3 – May 13
Ginger root_vegetable Transplant Mar 11 Nov 6 – Jan 5
Green Cabbage brassica Transplant Mar 4 May 3 – Jun 12
Green Zebra Tomatoes tomato Transplant Mar 4 May 18 – May 21
Habanero Pepper pepper Transplant Mar 11 Jun 9 – Jul 9
Hairy vetch cover crop stands cover crop Transplant Mar 4 May 3 – Jun 2
Honeydew Melon melon Transplant Mar 4 Jun 12 – Jun 27
Hungarian Hot Wax Pepper pepper Transplant Mar 4 May 8 – May 18
Improved Meyer Lemon fruit Plant Out Mar 4 Mar 3
Jacob's Cattle beans legume Transplant Mar 4 May 23 – Jun 2
Jalapeño Peppers pepper Transplant Mar 4 May 8 – May 18
Jerusalem artichoke tubers root_vegetable Transplant Mar 4 Jun 22 – Aug 1
Jimmy Nardello Peppers pepper Transplant Mar 11 May 30 – Jun 9
Juliet Tomatoes tomato Transplant Mar 4 May 2 – May 4
King Arthur Peppers pepper Transplant Mar 11 May 12 – May 18
Luffa gourds vegetable Transplant Mar 4 Jun 12 – Jul 2
Lunchbox Mini Peppers pepper Transplant Mar 11 May 5 – May 10
Marketmore 76 Cucumber cucumber Transplant Mar 4 May 1 – May 11
Midnight Snack Tomato tomato Transplant Mar 4 May 8 – May 13
Mortgage Lifter Tomatoes tomato Transplant Mar 4 May 23 – May 28
Mountain Magic Tomatoes tomato Transplant Mar 4 May 15 – May 18
Mucho Nacho Jalapeño Peppers pepper Transplant Mar 4 May 11 – May 13
Nagami Kumquat fruit Plant Out Mar 4 Mar 3
Nopales pads vegetable Transplant Mar 4 May 3 – Jul 2
Padron Peppers pepper Transplant Mar 11 May 10 – May 15
Patio Princess Tomatoes tomato Transplant Mar 4 May 8 – May 13
Phacelia cover crop and bee forage cover crop Transplant Mar 4 Apr 18 – May 3
Pinkeye Purple Hull Pea legume Transplant Mar 4 Apr 28 – May 11
Poblano Peppers pepper Transplant Mar 4 May 8 – May 18
Potato onion clusters root_vegetable Transplant Mar 4 Jun 2 – Jul 2
Purple Basil herb Transplant Mar 4 May 13 – May 28
Rambo Radish Microgreens microgreen Transplant Mar 4 Mar 10 – Mar 14
Red Cabbage brassica Transplant Mar 4 May 13 – Jun 22
Red-Stem Malabar Spinach lettuce Transplant Mar 4 Apr 28 – May 13
Roma VF Tomatoes tomato Transplant Mar 4 May 18 – May 23
Romanesco brassica Transplant Mar 4 May 18 – Jun 12
Rosemary herb Plant Out Mar 4 May 23 – Jun 12
Rutgers Tomato tomato Transplant Mar 4 May 13 – May 23
San Marzano Tomatoes tomato Transplant Mar 4 May 21 – May 31
Serrano Peppers pepper Transplant Mar 4 May 13 – May 23
Shishito Peppers pepper Transplant Mar 11 May 10 – May 15
Signet marigold edible flowers flower Transplant Mar 4 May 3 – May 8
Snow Crown Cauliflower brassica Transplant Mar 4 Apr 23 – May 3
Speckled Pea Shoot Microgreens microgreen Transplant Mar 4 Mar 12 – Mar 18
Sugar Baby Watermelon melon Transplant Mar 4 May 18 – May 23
Sun Gold Tomatoes tomato Transplant Mar 4 Apr 30 – May 8
Supersweet 100 Tomatoes tomato Transplant Mar 4 May 3 – May 8
Sweet 100 Tomatoes tomato Transplant Mar 4 May 3 – May 8
Sweet Million Tomato tomato Transplant Mar 4 May 3 – May 8
Thai Basil herb Transplant Mar 4 May 3 – May 8
Thai Hot Peppers pepper Transplant Mar 4 May 18 – May 28
Tiny Tim Tomato tomato Transplant Mar 4 Apr 18 – Apr 28
Trinidad Moruga Scorpion peppers pepper Transplant Mar 4 May 23 – Jul 2
Tumbling Tom Red Tomato tomato Transplant Mar 4 May 8 – May 13
Waltham 29 Broccoli brassica Transplant Mar 4 May 18 – Jun 2
White clover living mulch cover crop Transplant Mar 4 May 13 – Jun 2
Winter rye cover crop stands cover crop Transplant Mar 4 Aug 31 – Oct 10
Yellow Pear Tomatoes tomato Transplant Mar 4 May 13 – May 21

Harvest in March

Plant Type Planted / Sown Harvest Window
Bloomsdale Longstanding Spinach lettuce Feb 6 Mar 23 – Mar 30
Bok Choy lettuce Feb 6 Mar 23 – Apr 7
Buckwheat cover crop Feb 18 Mar 20 – Apr 4
Butterhead Lettuce lettuce Feb 6 Mar 28 – Apr 12
Cherry Belle Radish root_vegetable Feb 18 Mar 11 – Mar 20
Chinese Broccoli (Gai Lan) brassica Feb 6 Mar 8 – Mar 28
Daikon Radishes root_vegetable Feb 4 Mar 21 – Mar 31
Dill herb Feb 18 Mar 30 – Apr 14
Endive / Escarole lettuce Feb 6 Mar 23 – Apr 12
French Breakfast Radish root_vegetable Feb 18 Mar 11 – Mar 18
Leaf Lettuce Mix lettuce Feb 6 Mar 23 – Apr 2
Mizuna lettuce Feb 6 Mar 18 – Mar 28
Mustard Greens lettuce Feb 6 Mar 13 – Mar 28
Peppermint herb Feb 18 Mar 20 – Apr 4
Red Leaf Lettuce lettuce Feb 6 Mar 23 – Apr 2
Red Russian Kale lettuce Feb 6 Mar 28 – Apr 7
Spearmint herb Feb 18 Mar 20 – Apr 4
Sweet Alyssum flower Feb 18 Mar 30 – Apr 14
Swiss Chard lettuce Feb 6 Mar 28 – Apr 7
Water spinach stems and leaves lettuce Feb 18 Mar 20 – Apr 4
Winner Kohlrabi brassica Feb 6 Mar 23 – Mar 28
Black Oil Sunflower Microgreens microgreen Mar 4 Mar 11 – Mar 16
Celeste Fig fruit Mar 4 Mar 4 – Mar 3
Chicago Hardy Fig fruit Mar 4 Mar 4 – Mar 3
Improved Meyer Lemon fruit Mar 4 Mar 3
Nagami Kumquat fruit Mar 4 Mar 3
Rambo Radish Microgreens microgreen Mar 4 Mar 10 – Mar 14
Speckled Pea Shoot Microgreens microgreen Mar 4 Mar 12 – Mar 18

Key Tasks for March in Zone 8B

  1. 1 Start 2 varieties indoors this month under grow lights or in a sunny south-facing window. Use a seed-starting mix and bottom heat (70–75°F) for best germination rates.
  2. 2 Harden off transplants before moving outdoors — set them outside in a sheltered spot for increasing hours over 7–10 days before planting in the ground.
  3. 3 Check soil moisture before watering — stick a finger 2 inches into the soil. Water only when the soil is dry at that depth. Consistent moisture is more important than frequency.
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