What to Start Indoors in March
Your Zone 5 Seed Guide
March is prime time for starting seeds indoors in Zone 5.
Because our growing season is shorter, starting plants inside gives us a head start you simply can’t make up later.
This is the month where momentum begins.
🥦 Start These Vegetables Indoors Now
These cool-season crops benefit from an early indoor start:
• Broccoli
• Cabbage
• Cauliflower
• Lettuce
• Kale
• Onions, if you didn’t start them in February
• Parsley and other early herbs
Starting them now means strong transplants ready to go when the soil warms.
🍅 Toward the End of March
These need slightly warmer timing:
• Tomatoes
• Peppers, if you haven’t already started them
Starting too early can lead to leggy, stressed plants. Timing matters.
🌸 Flowers to Start Now
These slower growers benefit from an early head start:
• Petunias
• Snapdragons
• Salvia
• Pansies
• Alyssum
Starting these now means fuller plants and earlier blooms once planting season arrives.
🌿 Pro Tip for Strong Seedlings
Use a seed-starting mix — not potting soil.
Provide bright light immediately after germination.
Keep soil moist but never soggy.
If seedlings get leggy, it’s almost always a light issue — not a watering issue.
🌱 Keep It Simple
If you’re new to seed starting, don’t overwhelm yourself.
Choose a few varieties you truly love. Build confidence. Learn what works in your space.
Small, intentional steps now make May feel effortless.
A little pruning.
A little soil prep.
A tray of seeds under lights.
A batch of ranunculus waking up in the dark.
This is the quiet work that builds a strong season.
If you need seeds, soil, compost, Proven Winners plants, or want something set aside for spring, call us or stop in. We’re happy to help you think it through.
Let’s build this season the right way.
The Landscape Connection
4472 S. Mulford Rd.
Rockford, IL 61109
(815) 874-8733
www.TheLandscapeConnection.net
