Cold Winter Areas
Zones: 1–7a
These zones experience cold winters with extended periods of freezing temperatures. In March, monitor soil conditions, thaw cycles, and late frosts as you prepare for early outdoor sowing. Indoors, this is a busy month for starting cool-season crops and hardy flowers under lights or in a greenhouse so they are ready to transplant as soon as the weather warms.
Indoors (fresh harvests):
- Microgreens: peas, broccoli, sunflowers, arugula.
- Sprouts: alfalfa, broccoli, radish, mung
- Herbs & greens under lights: chives, parsley, mint
Crops to start indoors in good light: bunching onion, eggplant, tomato, pepper, zinnia, basil, Swiss chard, cosmos
Transplants to move outdoors (weather permitting - harden first): Onion, parsley, broccoli, cabbage, kohlrabi, arugula, pansy, viola
Crops that can be directly sown outdoors in March (assume intermittent frosts; a low tunnel or row cover makes most of these reliable): pak choi, cabbage, kale, mustard, fava bean, pea, turnip, parsnip, sweet pea
Cover crops: winter rye, fava bean, hairy vetch, red or white clover, and cover crop mixes.
Tip: This zone group covers a lot of territory. Nothing takes the place of talking with experienced gardeners in your area and, of course, watching the weather closely.
Use your USDA zone as a guide. Microclimates matter—coastal/urban spots run warmer; high elevation runs colder. 7b pockets can follow “Mild” recommendations with protection.
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![Legend: H for Heirloom, O for Organic, A for AAS Winner, F for staff favorites]()
Swiss Chard Seeds - Bright Lights
55 days. AAS Winner for 1998. A vibrant new Swiss Chard. Distinguished by stems of many different colors - gold, pink, orange, purple, red, and white. This variety is a...
Melon Seeds - Cantaloupe - Imperial 45
65-85 Days to maturity. Cucumis melo. Imperial 45 Cantaloupe Melon Seeds. A non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, AAS winner, heat-tolerant Cantaloupe Melon. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised beds, and...
French Marigold Seeds - Petite Mixture
56-63 Days to maturity. Tagetes patula. Petite Mixture French Marigold Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated. Petite Mixture French marigold seeds are an adorable, compact, and vibrant addition to grow in any...
Squash Seeds - Winter - Sweet Meat
Non-GMO Sweet Meat Winter Squash is ready in 100 days. USU recommends this variety of winter squash due to the fact it's vigorous, heavy-yielding vines. Fruit on Gill's Sweet Meat...
Cucumber Seeds - Muncher Burpless - Organic
65-70 days. Muncher Cucumber Seeds Organic. Cucumis sativus. Non-GMO. Heirloom. One of the most reliably productive and tolerant grows on the farm or in the home garden, Muncher cucumber has...
Pumpkin Seeds - Big Max
Big Max Pumpkins are known for their size. This is the pumpkin to grow if you want to have an enormous pumpkin. Big Max Pumpkins can weigh over 100 lbs...
Molokhia - Egyptian Spinach Seeds
60 Days to maturity. Corchorus olitorius. Egyptian Spinach Molokhia Seeds. Warm-season annual heirloom. Egyptian Spinach Molokhia, also called jute leaf, is not a true spinach. It is grown for the...
Sorrel Seeds - Red Veined
Red Veined Sorrel Seeds. Non-GMO, Heirloom. 55 Days. Perennial. Rumex sanguineus. AKA: Spinach Dock or Narrow-leaved Dock. Tart leaves have lemony taste that some have likend to the flavor of...
Radish Seeds - Watermelon
60-65 days. Watermelon Radish Seeds. Raphanus sativus. Non-GMO. Heirloom. AKA: "Roseheart Radish" or "Red Meat Radish". Watermelon Radish seeds are native to China and a cousin to Daikon radish. Watermelon...
Bean Seeds - Bush - Strike
50-65 Days to maturity. Phaseolus vulgaris. Strike Bush Bean Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, high-yielding, bush, snap, green bean. Suitable for growing in containers, garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses....
Leek Seeds - American Flag Leek - Organic
Allium ampeloprasum (105 days) Originated around 1870. Also called "Giant Musselburh" or "Scotch Flag." Leeks date back to the time of the Ancient Egyptians. Their popularity has grown through many...
Bean Seeds - Bush - Provider
50-65 Days to maturity. Phaseolus vulgaris. Provider Bush Bean Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, high-yielding, heat-tolerant, bush, snap, green bean. Suitable for growing in containers, garden plots, raised beds, and...
Lettuce Seeds - Romaine - Giant Caesar
Giant Caesar Lettuce Seeds. 70 days to maturity. Lactuca sativa. Heirloom, Annual. The Giant Caesar Lettuce is an amazing bright green loose-leaf romaine type that has a buttery sweet flavor...
Bean - Broad Windsor Fava - Cover Crop Seeds
80-90 Days. Vicia faba. Annual. Cover Crop. Heirloom. Non-GMO Broad Windsor fava bean seeds grow one of the most beneficial heirloom cover crops available to the home gardener. Popularly sown...
Cabbage Seeds - Late Flat Dutch
100 days. The Late Flat Dutch cabbage produces large, pale green heads. It is a hardy garden crop that can be grown in climate zones one through ten. After around...
Einkorn Grain Seeds (Organic)
Domesticated Einkorn Grain Seeds. Certified Organic by Oregon Tilth. Triticum monococcum. Non-GMO, Heirloom. Widely agreed to be the oldest known wheat, Einkorn is thought to be the first grain ever...
Cucumber Seeds - Homemade Pickles
Non-GMO, open-pollinated Homemade Pickles Cucumber Seeds from True Leaf Market yield a pickling-variety of cucumber with small white spines and crunchy cores. Growing on up to 5' disease-resistant vines, the...
Bean Seeds - Bush - Roma II
50-65 Days to maturity. Phaseolus vulgaris. Roma II Bush Bean Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, AAS winner, high-yielding, heat-tolerant, bush, snap, romano, green bean. Suitable for growing in containers, garden...
Swiss Chard Seeds - Ruby Red
55 days. This plant produces good yields of dark green shiny leaves with ruby red stalks and veins. Both the stems and the leaves xcellent for salads and steamed with...
Lettuce Seeds - Romaine - Freckles
50-70 days. These non-GMO Freckles lettuce seeds grow into green leaves of lettuce with red spots that are ready to harvest in 50 to 70 days. The Freckles thrives in...
Zinnia Seeds - Lilliput Mixture
54-70 Days to maturity. Zinnia elegans. Lilliput Mixture Zinnia Seeds. Non-GMO, organic, annual. Lilliput Mixture Zinnia Flowers are easy to grow from seeds and ideal for hot and drought-prone gardens....
Pumpkin Seeds - Connecticut Field
Connecticut Field Pumpkin is an heirloom pumpkin that has been around since colonial time. It was first grown by Native Americans in New England. This is the pumpkin to grow...
Tomatillo Seeds - Toma Verde
70 days. Physalis ixocarpa. Toma Verde Tomatillo Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, heirloom, open-pollinated. This crop is suitable for containers, garden plots, raised beds, and fields. Early, prolific green tomatillo with flat-round...
Thyme Seeds - Winter
95 Days to maturity. Thymus vulgaris. Winter Thyme Seeds. Non-GMO, perennial, open-pollinated, heirloom. Suitable for growing in fields, containers, garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses. Common Thyme, German Thyme, English...
Gazania Seeds - New Day Series
84-91 Days to maturity. Gazania splendens. Gazania New Day Series Seeds. Non-GMO, Annual. New Day Series gazania seeds grow some of the most recognizable summertime blooms both indoors and out!...
Melon Seeds - Cantaloupe - Hearts of Gold
80-90 Days to maturity. Cucumis melo. Hearts of Gold Cantaloupe Melon Seeds. A non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, heat-tolerant Cantaloupe Melon. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses....
Parsley Seeds - Italian Giant (Organic)
70-80 Days to maturity. Petroselinum crispum. Organic Italian Giant Parsley Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, organic, open-pollinated, heirloom. Suitable for growing in fields, containers, garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses. Italian Giant...
Sunflower Seeds - Autumn Beauty Mix
90-100 Days to maturity. Helianthus annuus. Autumn Beauty Mix Sunflower Seeds: Non-GMO. Open Pollinated. Ornamental. Annual. Heirloom. Autumn Beauty Mix seeds grow one of the summer's most explosive and familiar...
Achillea Seeds - Golden Yarrow
2nd year maturity. Achillea filipendulina. Golden Yarrow Seeds. Non-GMO, perennial, heirloom, open-pollinated. This crop is suitable for garden plots, raised beds, and ornamental borders. Golden Yarrow (Cloth of Gold) is...
Cucumber Seeds, Japanese - Progress - Hybrid
50-60 Days to Maturity.Cucumis sativus Progress Japanese Cucumber Seeds F1. Hybrid. Non-GMO. Annual. Non-GMO. This Japanese cucumber has glossy, green, smooth skin and is crisp and very tasty. This is...
Spinach Seeds - Red Malabar
70 days. Basella rubra. Red Malabar Spinach Seeds. Non-GMO, warm-season annual, heirloom, open-pollinated. This crop is suitable for trellised garden plots, raised beds, and large containers. Red Malabar is a...
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