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]()
Corn Seeds - Dent - Eureka Ensilage
110-120 Days to maturity. Zea mays. Eureka Ensilage Corn Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, Dent Corn. Suitable for growing in garden plots or raised beds. Corn tolerates heat and drought-prone...
Cucumber Seeds - Zipangu - Hybrid
55-60 Days to maturity. Cucumis sativus var. zipangu. Zipangu Cucumber Hybrid Seeds. Warm Season Annual Hybrid. A delicious and versatile cucumber variety that deserves more attention than it gets! Zipangu...
Tomato Seeds - Cherry - Cherry Bicolor
70-79 Days to maturity (from transplant). Solanum lycoperscium. Cherry Bi-Color Tomato Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, indeterminate, cherry tomato. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised beds, greenhouses. The German...
Liatris Seeds - Z-Scape
2nd-year maturity. Liatris spicata. Liatris Z-scape Seeds. Non-GMO, Perennial. Z-Scape liatris seeds grow the ideal substitute for traditional seasonal lavender. Z-Scape liatris is easy to grow from seed and matures...
Squash Seeds - Winter - Hubbard Baby Blue
Hubbard Baby Blue Winter Squash Seeds. 90 to 100 Days. Non-GMO, Open Pollinated, Heirloom. Winter Squash. Cucurbita maxima. Dating back to the 1950s, the Hubbard Baby Blue was developed by...
Corn Seeds - Popcorn - Strawberry
100 Days to maturity. Zea mays. Popcorn - Strawberry Corn Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, Pop Corn. Suitable for growing in garden plots or raised beds. Corn tolerates heat and...
Tomato Seeds - Slicing - Purple Calabash
80-90 Days to maturity (from transplant). Solanum lycopersicum. Purple Calabash Tomato Seeds. Non-GMO, warm season annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, drought tolerant, indeterminate, slicing tomato. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised...
Squash - Winter - Hubbard Baby Green
Hubbard Baby Green Winter Squash Seeds. 90 to 100 Days. Heirloom, Open Pollinated. Non-GMO. Winter Squash type. Cucurbita maxima. The Baby Green Hubbard is a scaled down version of the...
Bean Seeds - Bush - Royal Burgundy (Treated)
50-65 Days to maturity. Phaseolus vulgaris. Treated Royal Burgundy Bush Bean Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, high-yielding, bush, snap bean. Suitable for growing in containers, garden plots, raised beds, and...
Gourd Seeds, Bottle - Miniature
90 to 95 days to maturity. Lagenaria leucantha var gourdaMiniature Bottle Gourd Seeds. Heirloom, Annual, Non-GMO. These miniature bottle-shaped gourds grow up to 12 inches long, and have a diameter...
Melon Seeds - Ananas
90-110 Days to maturity. Cucumis melo. Ananas Melon Seeds. A non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, heat-tolerant Melon. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses. Originating from France, these...
Tomato Seeds - Slicing - Brandymaster Red Hybrid
80 Days to maturity (from transplant). Solanum lycopersicum. Brandymaster Red Hybrid Tomato Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, F1 hybrid, indeterminate, potato leaf, slicing tomato. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised beds,...
Basil Seeds - Corsican
80 Days to maturity. Ocimum basilicum. Corsican Basil Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom. Suitable for growing in fields, containers, garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses. This heirloom basil strain from...
Tomato Seeds - Slicing - Long Keeper
78 Days to maturity (from transplant). Solanum lycoperscium. Long Keeper Tomato Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, determinate, slicing tomato. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses. Resistant...
Squash Seeds - Winter - Hubbard Chicago Warted
Hubbard Chicago Warted Winter Squash Seeds. 110 Days to Harvest. Non-GMO Heirloom, Open Pollinated, Annual Seeds. Cucurbita maxima. AKA Green Warted Hubbard Squash. Hubbard Chicago Winter Squash is a very...
Watermelon Seeds - Icebox - Bush Sugar Baby (Organic)
75 Days to maturity. Citrullus lanatus. Bush Sugar Baby Watermelon Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, organic, open-pollinated, heirloom, heat tolerant, seeded, Icebox watermelon. Suitable for growing in garden plots and large containers...
Tomato Seeds - Slicing - Persimmon
80 Days to maturity (from transplant). Solanum lycopersicum. Persimmon Tomato Seeds. Non-GMO, warm season annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, indeterminate, slicing tomato. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised beds, greenhouses. Persimmon...
Cucumber Seeds - Green Dragon Burpless F1
70 Days to maturity. Cucumis sativus. Green Dragon Burpless Hybrid Cucumber Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, F1 hybrid, monoecious, burpless, slicing cucumber. Suitable for growing in fields, containers (with support), garden plots,...
Bean Seeds - Bush - Landreth Stringless
50-60 Days to maturity. Phaseolus vulgaris. Landreth Stringless Bush Bean Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, heavy yielding, drought tolerant, bush, snap, green beans. Suitable for growing in containers, garden plots,...
Tomato Seeds - Slicing - Katana Hybrid
60 Days to maturity (from transplant). Solanum lycopersicum. Katana Hybrid Japanese Tomato Seeds. Non-GMO, warm season annual, F1 hybrid, semi-determinate, slicing tomato. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised beds,...
Squash Seeds - Winter - Kurinishiki - Hybrid
Squash Seeds - Winter - Kurinishiki - Hybrid. Non-GMO. Cucurbita maxima. 95-105 days (45-50 days after flowering). Warm season annual. This winter squash hybrid produces uniform dark green fruit with...
Watermelon Seeds - Picnic - All Sweet (Organic)
90-105 Days to maturity. Citrullus lanatus. Organic All Sweet Watermelon Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, organic, open-pollinated, heirloom, heat tolerant, seeded, picnic watermelon. Suitable for growing in garden plots. Resistant to Anthracnose...
Squash Seeds - Summer - Emperor's Jade Hybrid
50-60 Days to maturity. Cucurbita pepo. Emperor's Jade Hybrid Squash Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, F1 Hybrid. Suitable for growing in fields, containers, garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses. This vigorous hybrid...
Dichondra Seeds - Silver Falls
100 seed package 91-98 days. Silver Falls dichondra seeds promise one of the most hardy, resilient, and spectacular trailing plants the American Southwest has to offer. Silver Falls dichondra matures...
French Marigold Seeds - Bolero
50-65 Days to maturity. Tagetes patula. Bolero French Marigold Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, AAS winner, hybrid. These multicolored, spotted marigolds are unique and festive! Considered by many as one of the...
Basil Seeds - Dwarf Greek (Organic)
65-75 Days to maturity. Ocimum basilicum ’Dwarf Greek’. Organic Dwarf Greek Basil Herb Seeds. Non-GMO, heirloom, annual. Dwarf Greek is one of the smallest and oldest varieties of basil available....
Tomato Seeds - Cherry - Gardener's Delight (Organic)
50-80 Days to maturity (from transplant). Solanum lycoperscium. Organic Gardeners Delight Tomato Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, organic, open-pollinated, heirloom, indeterminate, cherry tomato. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised beds, and...
Watermelon Seeds - Picnic - Dixie Queen (Organic)
80 Days to maturity. Citrullus lanatus. Dixie Queen Organic Watermelon Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, organic, open-pollinated, heirloom, heat tolerant, seeded, picnic watermelon. The Organic Dixie Queen watermelon is popular in the...
Zinnia Seeds - Cactus Flowered Mix
75-90 Days to Maturity. Zinnia elegans. Zinnia Cactus Flowered Mix Flower Seeds. Non-GMO, open-pollinated, annual, edible, deer-resistant, and attracts pollinators. Displays pink, purple, red, orange, white, and yellow colored blooms...
Cucumber Seeds - Pickling - Calypso Hybrid (Organic)
50 Days to maturity. Cucumis sativus. Organic Calypso Hybrid Cucumber Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, organic, F1 hybrid, gynoecious, pickling cucumber. Suitable for growing in fields, containers (with support), garden plots, raised...
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