The last average frost date for south coastal British Columbia is March 28. March is the month gardeners in this region must use to get ready to take full advantage of the growing season ahead. Gardeners in other regions can refer to our Regional Planting Charts for more specific advice on timing.
Below is a list of seeds to start in March. Seeds started in March will be ready for transplanting into the garden by the time the nighttime temperatures have warmed up in May. Other seeds actually benefit from cool weather and the risk of frost, and they are shown below for direct sowing in March.
Click on the links below for full planting instructions.
For starting indoors:
Agastache
Alyssum
Asclepias
Asparagus
Bergamot
Broccoli
Cabbage
Catnip
Cauliflower
Celery & Celeriac
Chives
Chrysanthemum
Columbine
Coreopsis
Cynoglossum
Delphinium
Echinacea
Florence Fennel (bulbing fennel)
Gaillardia
Gaura
Hollyhocks
Iberis
Leeks
Lettuce
Lobelia
Lovage
Marigolds
Marjoram
Mint
Morning Glory
Nemophila
Nicotiana
Onions
Oregano
Peppers
Physalis
Rosemary
Rudbeckia
Sage
Thyme
Tithonia
Tomatoes (March 15th is ideal, transplant end of May/early June)
Viola
Yarrow
Seeds to direct sow in March:
Ammi
Arugula
Broad Beans
Calendula
California Poppies
Celosia
Corn Salad
Cornflowers
Cosmos
Gypsophila
Kale & Collards
Lavatera (late in the month)
Lavender
Lunaria
Lupins
Marigolds
Pac Choi & Mustard Greens
Peas
Poppies
Radishes
Scabiosa
Spinach
Sweet Peas
Wildflower Mixes (March is the best time for these!)
These are recommendations for South Coastal BC, the Gulf Islands & Sunshine Coast, Vancouver Island and West of the Cascades in Washington and Oregon. If you live outside of these regions, please have a look at our Regional Planting Charts - you can download them for free as pdf files for easy reference.