What to Plant in March

March is when it starts. In zones 7-10, things are already moving. In zones 3-5, the ground is still frozen but the planning window is open. Wherever you are, March is the month to pay attention.

What's blooming now

In warmer zones (7+), March is a full-blown show. Daffodils are up, forsythia is screaming yellow, early magnolias are opening their goblets on bare branches, and hellebores have been quietly blooming since February.

In colder zones (4-6), March is more subtle. Snowdrops and winter aconite push through snow. Crocus tips poke up. Witch hazel opens its spidery yellow flowers on bare wood. These early bloomers punch above their weight because they have no competition. A single crocus against bare soil makes more visual impact than a hundred roses in June.

On the West Coast, California native manzanita blooms with urn-shaped pink flowers that hummingbirds love, and California lilac (ceanothus) starts its electric blue display.

What to plant this month

In zones 7-10, March is prime planting time for perennials. The soil is warming, rain is still regular, and plants have the whole spring to establish roots before summer heat. Get your coneflowers, catmint, daylilies, and other summer bloomers in the ground now.

In zones 4-6, wait for the ground to thaw. When you can push a shovel in, you can plant. Start with bare-root roses, dormant perennials, and shrubs. Trees and shrubs planted in early spring have the best survival rates because they get a full growing season to establish.

Everywhere: start seeds indoors for summer annuals. Zinnias, cosmos, and sunflowers started now will be ready to transplant after the last frost.

What to plan

March is the best time to assess your garden's gaps. Walk your yard and note what's blooming. Now look at what's empty. Those bare spots are your planting opportunities. Use our bloom calendar view to find plants that fill the months you're missing.

This is also the month to order plants from online nurseries if you want specific varieties. The best selections sell out by April. If you want a particular hosta variety or a specific hydrangea cultivar, order now.

What to do in the garden

Cut back ornamental grasses before new growth emerges. Clean up any perennial foliage you left standing for winter interest. But don't be too aggressive with cleanup - leave some leaf litter for overwintering beneficial insects until temperatures are consistently above 50°F.

And resist the urge to fertilize yet. Wait until plants are actively growing. Early fertilizer pushes tender new growth that late frosts can kill.