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]()
Bean Seeds - Bush - Fava (Organic)
70-85 Days to maturity. Vicia faba. Organic Fava Bean Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, organic, open-pollinated, heirloom, bush, shell, fava bean. Suitable for growing in containers, garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses....
Cucumber Seeds - Sumter
50-65 days. Non-GMO. Open-pollinated. Sumter Cucumber Seeds from True Leaf Market grow firm, 5" to 6" medium-green cucumbers with white spines. Sumter is a mildew- and scab-resistant cucumber variety that...
Radish Seeds - German Giant - Organic
Raphanus R. sativus. (29 days) They call these radishes Giant for a reason! Delicious when they are the size of a quarter, but they can grow as large as a...
Eggplant Seeds - Petch Siam
40-50 days maturity after transplant. Solanum melongena ’Petch Siam’. Petch Siam Eggplant Seeds. Non-GMO, warm-season, annual, heirloom. This well-known and productive Matti Gulla variety is easy to grow. Matti is...
Bean Seeds - Pole - Purple Moon Hyacinth
90 Days to maturity. Lablab purpureus. Purple Moon Hyacinth Bean Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, heat tolerant, drought tolerant, pole, snap, Asian, specialty bean. Suitable for growing in containers, garden...
Tomato Seeds - Slicing - Chef's Choice Red Hybrid AAS
80-85 Days to maturity (from transplant). Solanum lycopersicum. Chef’s Choice Red Hybrid Tomato Seeds. Non-GMO, warm season annual, F1 hybrid, AAS winner, indeterminate, slicing tomato. Suitable for growing in garden...
Swiss Chard Seeds - Pink Lipstick
60 days. Pink Lipstick Swiss Chard is named after the bright pink hue of its stems and veins. Plants grow green delicious leaves that can be used as bitter and...
Columbine Seeds - McKana Giant AAS
2nd-year maturity. Aquilegia x hybrida. Columbine McKana's Giant Seeds. Non-GMO, Perennial. Ornamental. McKana's Giant seeds grow the absolute tallest, brightest, and most vivid columbines in the country. McKana's Giant columbine...
Radish Seeds - Chinese - Green Meat Luobo
60 Days to maturity. Raphanus sativus. Green Meat Luobo Chinese Radish Heirloom Seeds. Cool Season Annual. Unlike other Chinese radishes, Green Luobos aren’t globe-shaped—instead, they grow as big as 10”...
Squash Seeds - Summer - Trieste White Zucchini
Trieste White Zucchini Squash produces short fruits that are very pale green in color, and are tender and delicious. Non- GMO Half Long White Zucchini are early producers, produce on...
Eggplant Seeds - Konasu
60 days maturity after transplant. Solanum melongena ’Konasu’. Konasu Eggplant Seeds. Non-GMO, warm-season, annual, heirloom. This tiny, bite-sized, rounded eggplant has shiny dark purple skin that looks almost onyx. The...
Melon Seeds - Banana
80-100 Days to maturity. Cucumis melo. Banana Melon Seeds. A non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, heat-tolerant Melon. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses. These unique melons got...
Mustard Seeds - Wasabi
45 days. This mustard has large green leaves with wavy edges and a fun wasabi-like bite. Easy to grow, this mustard is also cold hardy and vigorous. Don't be mistaken,...
Melon Seeds - Casaba - Bidwell
C. indorus (95 days) This melon originated just a few minutes away from us here in Chico, CA. Bidwell is named after John Bidwell, who was a general in the...
Pepper Seeds, Hot - Big Jim (Organic)
70-100 Days to maturity (from transplant). Capsicum annuum. Organic Big Jim Pepper Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, organic, open-pollinated, heirloom, high yielding, deer resistant, heat tolerant, drought tolerant, hot pepper with medium....
Cucumber Seeds - Chinese Snake Curved
The Chinese Snake Curved cucumber is the curved variation of Chinese Snake cucumbers. It has strong vines that yield long curved cucumbers. Fruits are dark green and grow to be...
Eggplant Seeds - Shoya Long - Hybrid
60 days maturity after transplant. Solanum melongena ’Shoya Long’. Shoya Long Eggplant Seeds. Non-GMO, warm-season, annual, hybrid. An early maturing hybrid with high yields and an upright plant habit. The...
Tomato Seeds - Slicing - Grandeur Hybrid
70 Days to maturity (from transplant). Solanum lycopersicum. Grandeur Hybrid Japanese Tomato Seeds. Non-GMO, warm season annual, F1 hybrid, indeterminate, slicing tomato. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised beds,...
Tomato Seeds - Cherry - Pink Thai Egg
65-70 Days to maturity (from transplant). Solanum lycopersicum. Pink Thai Egg Tomato Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, determinate, cherry tomato. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised beds, greenhouses, and...
Zinnia Seeds - Zowie Yellow Flame (Coated)
54-70 Days to maturity. Zinnia elegans. Zowie Yellow Flame Zinnia Seeds. Non-GMO, organic, Annual. Yellow Flame zinnia seeds are an effortless and vibrant way to grow season-long brilliance in your...
Chinese Cabbage Seeds - Spring Crisp - Hybrid
63-65 Days to maturity. Brassica rapa var. Pekinensis ‘Spring Crisp’. Spring Crisp Chinese Cabbage Hybrid seeds. Annual. Hybrid. Spring Crisp is desirable for its resistance to bolting during warm weather....
Pepper Seeds - Hot - Thai Scorpion Hybrid
90 Days to maturity (from transplant). Capsicum annuum x C. chinensis. Thai Scorpion Hybrid Pepper Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, F1 hybrid, deer-resistant hot pepper with hot heat levels. 75,000 to 85,000...
Pepper Seeds - Hot - Hot Portugal
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...
Lettuce Seeds - Butterhead - White Boston
White Boston butterhead lettuce is an improved Boston variety that does well in humidity and heat. Heads grow high off the ground, so the full head is usable. Heads are...
Hollyhock Seeds - Chaters Double Mixture
2nd-year maturity. Alcea rosea. Hollyhock Chater's Double Mixture Seeds. Non-GMO, Perennial/Biennial. Chater's Double Mixture hollyhock seeds promise to turn any stale bedding into a sensational and eye-catching garden this season....
Corn Seeds - Dent - Ornamental - Bloody Butcher
110 Days to maturity. Zea mays. Bloody Butcher Ornamental Corn Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, Dent Corn. Suitable for growing in garden plots or raised beds. Corn tolerates heat and...
Pepper Seeds - Hot - Scotch Bonnet Yellow
90-100 Days to maturity (from transplant). Capsicum chinense. Scotch Bonnet Yellow Pepper Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, deer resistant, hot pepper with extra hot heat levels. 100,000 to 350,000 Scoville...
Competition Pumpkin Seeds - 400 lb plus
115+ Days to maturity. Non-GMO Competition Pumpkin 400 lb. Plus pumpkin seeds from True Leaf Market come from competition pumpkins that weighed 400 lbs. or more. Whether you want to...
Pepper Seeds - Hot - Ancho Grande (Organic)
70-79 Days to maturity (from transplant). Capsicum annuum. Organic Ancho Grande Pepper Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, organic, open-pollinated, heirloom, hot-type pepper with mild heat levels. 1,000 to 2,000 Scoville Heat Units....
Scabiosa Seeds - HiGro Mix
90-100 days to maturity. Scabiosa atropurpurea. HiGrow Mix Scabiosa Flower Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated. This crop is suitable for growing in containers, garden plots, borders, and greenhouses. HiGrow Mix (a.k.a....
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