What to plant in March in California

Worked out for 11 cities from their own weather and frost dates, by zone.

What to sow and plant in March in California, by zone: frost-free, highs of 61–72 °F (Los Angeles, San Diego and 7 more): peas, lettuce, radish, Swiss chard, beet and 25 more; frost possible, highs of 50–61 °F (Santa Barbara): broad bean, peas, onion, spinach, lettuce and 40 more; frost-free, highs of 50–61 °F (San Francisco): broad bean, peas, onion, spinach, lettuce and 22 more.

In California, March is spring.

Frost-free, highs of 61–72 °F: Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose, Fresno and 5 more

In March, on average, these cities have highs of 62 to 71 °F and lows of 42 to 51 °F, 2.3 to 7.0 in of rain on 8 to 14 days; the day lasts 11 h 53 min to 11 h 56 min (on the 15th).

No frost in March in 10 years of data: frost-tender crops can go in too, if it is warm enough for them.

How	What	Where
sow direct	Broad bean, cabbage	Los Angeles, San Diego and San Jose
sow direct	Peas, beet, parsley, cilantro, chamomile, dill, mustard greens	Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose and 5 more
plant sets	Onion, shallot	Los Angeles, San Diego and San Jose
sow direct	Lettuce, Swiss chard, kohlrabi	Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose and 3 more
sow direct	Radish	Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose and 4 more
sow direct	Carrot, broccoli, kale, parsnip	San Diego
start indoors, plant out in April	Cauliflower	San Diego
start indoors, plant out in May	Tomato, bell pepper, eggplant, chili pepper, moringa	Los Angeles, San Diego and San Jose
start indoors, plant out in April	Zucchini, cucumber, basil	Los Angeles, San Jose, Fresno and 5 more
start indoors, plant out in April	Melon, watermelon, pumpkin, achocha, luffa, okra, peanut	Los Angeles, San Jose, Sacramento and 2 more
sow direct or start indoors, plant out in April	Sweet Corn	Los Angeles, San Jose, Fresno and 4 more
sow direct	Arugula	all
sow direct or start indoors, plant out in May	Florence fennel	all
sow direct or start indoors, plant out in April	Bok Choy, Napa cabbage	Los Angeles, San Jose, Fresno and 5 more
sow direct or start indoors, plant out in June	Chayote	Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose and 5 more
sow direct	Borage	Los Angeles, Fresno, Sacramento and 4 more
sow direct	Corn	Los Angeles, Fresno, Sacramento and 3 more
sow direct or start indoors, plant out in April	Kiwano	Los Angeles, San Jose, Sacramento and 2 more
start indoors, plant out in June	Celeriac, celery	Los Angeles, San Diego and San Jose
sow direct	Chickpea	Los Angeles and San Jose
sow direct	Daikon	San Diego and San Jose
start indoors, plant out in May	Brussels Sprouts	San Diego

Compared with February: no longer sown — spinach and turnip.

Not starting in March: green beans (April, sown direct) and spinach (November, sown direct) — dates for Stockton.

Ready to harvest in March in Stockton, if sown in the right month: broad bean (December), peas (January), spinach (January), lettuce (January), radish (February), carrot (January), cabbage (November) and broccoli (December).

Frost possible, highs of 50–61 °F: Santa Barbara

In March, on average, Santa Barbara has highs of 60 °F and lows of 40 °F, 4.9 in of rain on 9 days; the day lasts 11 h 56 min (on the 15th).

March falls in the frost season: frost-tender crops wait. Average last frost: Santa Barbara (March 15).

How	What	Where
sow direct	Broad bean, peas, spinach, lettuce, radish, carrot, cabbage, broccoli, Swiss chard, beet, parsley, cilantro, arugula, chamomile, chickpea, daikon, dill, kale, kohlrabi, mustard greens, parsnip	Santa Barbara
plant sets	Onion, shallot	Santa Barbara
start indoors, plant out in April	Cauliflower, zucchini, cucumber, melon, watermelon, pumpkin, sweet corn, basil, achocha, bok choy, kiwano, Napa cabbage, peanut	Santa Barbara
start indoors, plant out in May	Tomato, bell pepper, eggplant, chili pepper, Florence fennel, moringa	Santa Barbara
start indoors, plant out in June	Celeriac, celery, chayote	Santa Barbara

Compared with February: new — zucchini, cucumber, melon, watermelon, pumpkin, sweet corn, cilantro, basil and 6 more; no longer sown — Brussels sprouts and turnip.

Not starting in March: green beans (June, sown direct) — dates for Santa Barbara.

Ready to harvest in March in Santa Barbara, if sown in the right month: broad bean (December), peas (January), spinach (January), lettuce (January), radish (February), carrot (January), cabbage (November) and broccoli (December).

Frost dates in Santa Barbara

Frost-free, highs of 50–61 °F: San Francisco

In March, on average, San Francisco has highs of 57 °F and lows of 48 °F, 4.2 in of rain on 12 days; the day lasts 11 h 55 min (on the 15th).

No frost in March in 10 years of data: frost-tender crops can go in too, if it is warm enough for them.

How	What	Where
sow direct	Broad bean, peas, spinach, lettuce, radish, carrot, cabbage, broccoli, Swiss chard, beet, parsley, cilantro, arugula, chamomile, daikon, dill, kale, kohlrabi, mustard greens, parsnip, turnip	San Francisco
plant sets	Onion, shallot	San Francisco
start indoors, plant out in April	Cauliflower, chicory	San Francisco
start indoors, plant out in May	Leek, Brussels sprouts	San Francisco

Compared with February: new — chicory.

Not starting in March: tomato (no month outdoors by these rules), bell pepper (no month outdoors by these rules), zucchini (no month outdoors by these rules) and green beans (no month outdoors by these rules) — dates for San Francisco.

Ready to harvest in March in San Francisco, if sown in the right month: broad bean (December), peas (January), spinach (January), lettuce (January), radish (February), carrot (January), cabbage (November) and broccoli (December).

Frost dates in San Francisco

How we work it out

For each city we use its average weather in March and the months after (highs, lows and rain for 2016–2025, ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo) and its average frost dates. A crop starts in March if the month's mean temperature reaches the minimum soil temperature for germination on its card (we use the mean air temperature as a stand-in for the soil's) and if, over its first months (up to three), the average highs stay within its group's range, with no frost for crops that cannot take it. Crops started indoors count from the month they are planted out.

Temperature groups from Colorado State University Extension: cool-season crops prefer 60–80 °F and lose quality in heat; hardy ones grow in days as cool as 40 °F, semi-hardy ones from 40–50 °F (we use 50 °F); warm-season crops need days above 55 °F, and the most tender (tomato, pepper, eggplant, melon, watermelon, squash) above 60 °F, up to 95 °F. Crops the guide does not name go into the stricter group by their frost hardiness. Fava (broad) beans, which the guide does not name, count as hardy: hardy varieties are sown in fall and overwinter (RHS). Garlic and bulbs: a month before the first frost, and later only while the ground is not frozen (as on each city's page).

This is a general rule from averages: your garden can be a week or two earlier or later, and a greenhouse or a cold frame brings the season forward. Greenly works out the dates for your location.