Seasonal Action Guide
What to Do in the Garden in March (Warm-Climate US)
The short answer
March is the month the warm-season garden actually gets planted across most of zones 8-10 — weeks ahead of cool-climate calendars. UF/IFAS lists beans, tomatoes, and squash as March vegetable plantings, and Gulf and Texas gardeners add peppers, cucumbers, and sweet corn once their area's last frost has passed. Zone 7 gardeners at the cool edge of this range wait until late March or April for frost-tender crops but sow beans and corn as soil warms.
In the ornamental garden, swap winter annuals for warm-season ones (zinnias, vinca, angelonia), and prune azaleas only after they finish blooming. Give citrus its spring feeding, watch new growth for aphids, and get mulch down before the heat arrives.
Plant and sow
- Set out tomato and pepper transplants after your area's last frost; sow beans, squash, cucumbers, and sweet corn directly (UF/IFAS lists beans, tomatoes, and squash for March).
- Make a second sowing of quick crops like radishes and turnips early in the month before heat ends them (UGA Vegetable Garden Calendar).
- Replace winter annuals with warm-season ones: zinnia, vinca, wax begonia, angelonia.
- Plant dahlia and canna bulbs and other summer bulbs.
- Zone 7 edge: hold frost-tender transplants until late March or April; keep frost cloth handy.
Maintain and protect
- Prune azaleas and other spring-flowering shrubs after they finish blooming, not before.
- Fertilize citrus and young fruit trees as spring growth begins.
- Monitor tender new growth for aphids and treat per your extension office's current recommendations.
- Refresh mulch on beds before the heat arrives to hold soil moisture.
- Set tomato cages and stakes at planting time, not after plants sprawl.
Harvest
- Harvest the last of the cool-season garden — lettuce, greens, broccoli — before it bolts.
- Pull remaining root crops as beds turn over to summer vegetables.
- Cut strawberries as they ripen in the lower South, where harvest starts in spring.
Sources
Reviewed 2026-07-18. We cite university Extension, government, and established horticultural sources — and never invent pesticide rates or dangerous treatments.
- UF/IFAS Extension — North Florida Gardening Calendar (EP451) — March: begin warm-season vegetables (beans, tomatoes, squash); switch to warm-season annuals; prune azaleas after flowering
- UGA Extension — Vegetable Garden Calendar (Circular 943) — March-April: second plantings of quick-maturing crops (turnips, mustard, radishes); timing keyed to average last killing frost
- Alabama Cooperative Extension — Alabama Gardener's Calendar — Month-by-month Alabama timeline for planting, pruning, fertilizing, and mulching across vegetables, annuals, and fruit trees
Keep going
Garden Tasks for January (Warm-Climate US)
Seasonal Action Guide
Garden Tasks for February (Warm-Climate US)
Seasonal Action Guide
Garden Tasks for April (Warm-Climate US)
Seasonal Action Guide
Garden Tasks for July (Warm-Climate US)
Seasonal Action Guide
Garden Tasks for August (Warm-Climate US)
Seasonal Action Guide
Garden Tasks for December (Warm-Climate US)
Seasonal Action Guide
Garden Tasks for June (Warm-Climate US)
Seasonal Action Guide
Garden Tasks for May (Warm-Climate US)
Seasonal Action Guide