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]()
Melon Seeds - Cantaloupe - Haogen
80-85 Days to maturity. Cucumis melo. Haogen Cantaloupe Melon Seeds. A non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, heat-tolerant Cantaloupe Melon. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses. This unique...
Tomato Seeds - Cherry - Currant Red
70 Days to maturity (from transplant). Solanum lycoperscium. Currant Red Tomato Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, indeterminate, cherry tomato. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses. Currant...
Cucumber Seeds - Garden Bush Pickle F1
50 Days to maturity. Cucumis sativus. Garden Bush Pickle Hybrid Cucumber Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, F1 hybrid, monoecious, pickling cucumber. Suitable for growing in fields, containers, garden plots, raised beds, and...
Bean Seeds - Bush - Mappe Green Mung
70 Days to maturity. Vigna radiata. Mappe Green Mung Bean Bean Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, heat and drought tolerant, bush, shell, Asian, specialty, sprouting bean. Suitable for growing in...
Gourd Seeds - Calabash
Calabash gourds have a bottle like shape, with a rounded end near their base. Gourds are green when young and become tan when dried. Sow seeds directly outside in the...
Amaranth Seeds - All Red Leaf
100-130 Days to maturity. Amaranthus cruentus. All Red Leaf Amaranth Seeds. Non-GMO, warm weather open-pollinated annual. Also known as Red Ocean Amaranth, this bright red leafy vegetable has ample health...
Basil Seeds - Persian AAS
75 Days to maturity. Ocimum basilicum. Persian AAS Basil Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom. Suitable for growing in fields, containers, garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses. An All-America Selections (AAS)...
Melon Seeds - Cantaloupe - Delicious 51
85 Days to maturity. Cucumis melo. Delicious 51 Cantaloupe Melon Seeds. A non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, heat-tolerant Cantaloupe Melon. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses. Resistant...
Pepper Seeds - Hot - Hot Portugal (Organic)
60-85 Days to maturity (from transplant). Capsicum annuum. Organic Hot Portugal Pepper Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, organic, open-pollinated, heirloom, deer resistant, hot pepper with medium to hot heat levels. 5,000 to...
Bean Seeds - Bush - Sunray
50-60 Days to maturity. Phaseolus vulgaris. Sunray Bush Bean Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, heavy yielding, drought tolerant, bush, snap, green beans. Suitable for growing in containers, garden plots, raised...
Cucumber Seeds - Poinsett 76 (Organic)
65 Days to maturity. Cucumis sativus. Organic Poinsett 76 Cucumber Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, organic, open-pollinated, heirloom, monoecious, slicing cucumber. Suitable for growing in fields, containers (with support), garden plots, raised...
Tomato Seeds - Slicing - Evergreen
72 Days to maturity (from transplant). Solanum lycopersicum. Evergreen Tomato Seeds. Non-GMO, warm season annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, indeterminate, slicing tomato. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised beds, greenhouses. Also...
Sunflower Seeds - Classic Gold
55-70 Days to maturity. Helianthus annuus. Classic Gold F1 Hybrid Sunflower Seeds: Non-GMO. Ornamental. Annual. The traditional sunflower that everyone knows, Sunflower Classic Gold is flawless as a cut flower...
Squash Seeds - Japanese, Winter - Kogiku
Squash Seeds - Japanese, Winter - Kogiku. Heirloom, Non-GMO. Cucurbita maxima. 95 to 110 Days. 30 days after fruit setting. Warm season annual. An early maturing and disease resistant high...
Tomato Seeds - Cherry - Matt's Wild Cherry
55 Days to maturity (from transplant). Solanum lycoperscium. Matt's Wild Cherry Tomato Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, indeterminate, cherry tomato. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses....
Tomato Seeds - Slicing - Boxcar Willie
80 Days to maturity (from transplant). Solanum lycopersicum. Boxcar Willie Tomato Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, indeterminate, slicing tomato. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses. This...
Tomato Seeds - Cherry - Sugar Fairy Hybrid
105 Days to maturity (from transplant). Solanum lycopersicum. Sugar Fairy Hybrid Tomato Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, hybrid, determinate cherry tomato. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised beds, greenhouses, and containers....
Melon Seeds - Cantaloupe - Edisto 47 (Organic)
85 Days to maturity. Cucumis melo. Organic Edisto 47 Cantaloupe Melon Seeds. A non-GMO, annual, organic, open-pollinated, heirloom, heat-tolerant, humidity-tolerant Cantaloupe Melon. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised beds,...
Watermelon Seeds - Picnic - Legacy
85 Days to maturity. Citrullus lanatus. Legacy Watermelon Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, heat tolerant, seeded, picnic watermelon. Suitable for growing in garden plots. Excellent shelf life and a great...
Tomato Seeds - Slicing - Moskvich
60-75 Days to maturity (from transplant). Solanum lycopersicum. Moskvich Tomato Seeds. Non-GMO, warm season annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, indeterminate, slicing tomato. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses....
Squash Seeds - Summer - Clarinette F1
Clarinette F1 Hybrid Squash Seeds. Cucurbita pepo. F1 Hybrid. Non-GMO. Annual. 45 days to maturity. Clarinette F1 is a high yielding pale green to white, bulbous squash. About 250 Seeds...
Squash Seeds - Winter - Cushaw White
80-120 Days to maturity. Cucurbita argyrosperma. Cushaw White Squash Seeds. Non-GMO, Cushaw White Winter Squash Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom. Suitable for growing in fields, containers, garden plots, raised beds,...
Tomato Seeds - Slicing - Orange Queen
65-70 Days to maturity (from transplant). Solanum lycoperscium. Orange Queen Tomato Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, determinate, slicing tomato. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses. Orange...
Gourd Seeds - Haa Sing - Hybrid
80-90 days to maturity. Luffa acutangula ’Haa Sing’. Haa Sing Gourd Seeds. Non-GMO, warm-season, annual, hybrid. This unique gourd plant has ridged fruit growing to be 26-30" long and dark...
Squash Seeds - Winter - Winter Harvest Blend
Winter Harvest Blend Winter Squash Seeds. 90 to 120 days to maturity. Cucurbita maxima. Heirloom, Annual. With gardens and farmland shrinking it makes sense to grow all your favorite winter...
Melon Seeds - Sharlyn
90 Days to maturity. Cucumis melo. Sharlyn Melon Seeds. A non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, heat tolerant, drought tolerant, specialty Melon. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses....
Sunflower Seeds - Zohar (Organic)
50-60 Days to maturity. Helianthus annuus. Zohar F1 Hybrid Sunflower Seeds: Non-GMO. Organic. Open Pollinated. Ornamental. Annual. Zohar F1 Hybrid is a beautiful pollen-less sunflower that will brighten up your...
Tomato Seeds - Slicing - Aunt Ruby's German Green (Organic)
80 Days to maturity (from transplant). Solanum lycopersicum. Organic Aunt Ruby’s German Green Tomato Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, organic, open-pollinated, heirloom, indeterminate, slicing tomato. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised...
Zinnia Seeds - Crystal Series
50 " 55 days. Annual. Zinnia angustifolia. Crystal Series Zinnia flower seeds promise a simple, yet award-winning addition to your home or garden. Crystal Series Zinnia seeds grow a compact...
Melon Seeds - Japanese - New Melon
110-120 Days to maturity. Cucumis melo. Japanese New Melon Seeds. A non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, heat-tolerant Asian Melon. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses. Developed in...
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