TOP 15 things to sow in March for seedlings and how

Of course, many gardeners start growing vegetable and herb seedlings in January or February, but the optimal time for most crops is March. Of course, there are exceptions, but that's not what we're talking about today. I'd like to share what I personally sow from seeds in the first month of spring, as the author of the website "growwise-en.techinfus.com," sowing them later to their permanent location in a greenhouse or open ground.

I used to place plant boxes on windowsills and tables in direct sunlight. This year, I'll try using an old sofa. I've heard from many gardener friends that it will keep the seedlings warmer and help them grow not only faster but also better.

Cucumbers

Cucumber seedlings are planted in late March to obtain an early harvest when grown in a greenhouse or hotbed. Choose early-ripening varieties and hybrids; they will begin bearing fruit sooner.

Cucumbers germinate in an average of 5-8 days, and often in just 2-4 days. They are transplanted to their permanent location at 25-30 days old, in late April or early May. If planted indoors in temperate or even harsher climates, the substrate will have warmed up sufficiently by this point, especially if certain life hacks are employed beforehand.

Disinfect self-collected or untreated seeds by soaking them in a bright pink solution of potassium permanganate or any suitable fungicide (Alirin-B, Maxim, Agat-25K).

Next, sprout the cucumbers in a damp cloth or paper towel. Keep the seed packet warm and prevent it from drying out. Germination takes a day or two.

Considering cucumbers' rapid growth and their aversion to transplanting, plant the seeds directly into individual containers, burying them a maximum of 2-3 cm deep. Create a "greenhouse" by covering the pots with glass or cling film.

To ensure rapid seedling emergence, provide warmth and monitor soil moisture. Seedlings also require temperatures between 23-25ºC, 12-14 hours of daylight, and regular watering.

Important! When pre-planting fungicide treatment, determine the solution concentration and soak time strictly according to the product's instructions.

Zucchini

Zucchini seedlings can be planted in the ground as early as a month after the seeds have sprouted. Therefore, you can plan to sow them closer to the end of March if you want to transplant them to a protected area later.

First, soak them in a well-moistened cloth for three days. Even if sprouts don't appear, don't worry—the shell just needs to swell and soften.

Pricking out zucchini is a stressful process, which they may not survive. Give them their own containers right away. When sowing, plant them no more than 2 cm deep. In greenhouse conditions, sprouts will appear in 3-5 days.

Zucchini require 12-13 hours of light daily. Also, keep in mind that drafts, temperature fluctuations, and watering errors can negatively impact their development.

Tomatoes

Tomatoes can be sown for seedlings throughout March. Determine the exact timing based on your local climate, growing conditions (the presence or absence of cover), and the ripening time of the selected variety.

Some seedlings don't survive transplanting (especially if you're an inexperienced gardener), so it's best to avoid this step by planting them in individual containers. In a common container, they're sown in a 2-3 x 5-6 cm pattern.

If you have any doubts about the quality of your planting material, disinfect it. Treatment with biostimulants (Zircon, Epin-Extra) is also possible, but if the seeds are high-quality, this won't significantly affect germination or the speed of germination.

Until seedlings emerge, keep the containers in a warm place, protected from direct sunlight. After germination (this takes 10-12 days), grow the seedlings at a slightly lower temperature, providing them with about half a day of light each day, and watering them occasionally.

Important! If necessary, transplant tomatoes when they reach the second true leaf stage.

Bell pepper

The crop is characterized by slow germination, and even varieties considered early-ripening have a fairly long growing season. Therefore, the first half of March is a very suitable time for sowing pepper seedlings.

To activate the seed germination process, be sure to soak the seeds in a biostimulant before planting. Warm water isn't an option in this case; it won't save you any time.

Peppers react very negatively to transplanting, so plant them immediately in individual cups. Don't plant them too deep, no more than 1-1.5 cm. Be sure to provide a "greenhouse effect" and warmth, and monitor the air and soil humidity.

Peppers will take at least 12-15 days to germinate. For normal development, seedlings require a daylight duration of ideally around 15 hours (or slightly less). Furthermore, seedlings are very sensitive to soil moisture—they should neither be allowed to dry out nor overwatered.

Important! In most Russian regions, providing seedlings with sufficient natural light is impossible; phytolamps will be required.

Eggplants

Eggplants germinate slowly (up to two weeks) and are planted in the garden at 65-70 days old. To harvest before the cold weather sets in, sow them before mid-March.

Due to their slow germination, the seeds require the help of a biostimulant. Afterward, you can optionally wrap them in a damp cloth for a couple of days to allow them to swell.

Pricking out eggplants is a very dangerous procedure, so immediately provide them with individual pots or cups. When sowing, plant them no deeper than 5-7 mm, otherwise germination will take even longer.

Protect emerging seedlings from drafts and keep them in the light for more than half a day. They are also sensitive to temperature (23-24ºC) and excessively frequent and/or heavy watering.

Important! Transplant seedlings to their permanent location when they reach 20 cm in height and have 7-8 leaves. This should never be delayed, as overgrown plants adapt poorly to their new environment and their yield will suffer significantly.

White cabbage

Given the cold tolerance of cabbage seedlings, they can be planted even in unprotected soil at the turn of April and May. Begin growing them in the last ten days of March.

Pre-planting cabbage involves "shock therapy." First, warm the seeds for about half an hour in hot water (45-50ºC), then refrigerate for 24 hours. Once dry, plant immediately.

Cabbage tolerates transplanting well, so either one large container or small individual ones will do. In the former case, plant according to a 3-4 x 5-6 cm pattern. Plant the cabbage no deeper than 1 cm.

Germination takes 6-10 days. During this time, keep the container warm (25-27ºC), away from light, remove condensation promptly, and water the soil. Remove the cover immediately after sprouting. Reduce the seedlings' temperature to 18-20ºC and provide good lighting (at least half a day daily).

Important! Sprouted cabbage should be uncovered as quickly as possible, otherwise it will stretch out, which can lead to slow, reluctant plant development and head formation.

Broccoli

In southern and temperate regions, broccoli can be sown directly into the garden. However, pre-growing seedlings allows for a harvest a couple of weeks earlier. Sowing is done in late March.

Preparation for planting and the procedure itself follow the same algorithm as for "classic" cabbage. Keep the seedlings in a cool place (15-17ºC), with at least 12 hours of light per day.

Savoy cabbage

If you sow seeds directly into the beds, there's a real risk of not getting a harvest. When growing from seedlings, seedlings begin growing at the turn of March and April. Depending on the variety, the heads are harvested in September or October.

There are no specific requirements for preparation, sowing, or seedling maintenance. The only important caveat is that this variety is more sensitive to substrate moisture. Both excessively dry and waterlogged soil are detrimental to them (in the latter case, root rot develops very quickly).

Cauliflower

Throughout March, sow early and mid-season varieties indoors. Generally, follow the same procedure as with white cabbage, but keep in mind the specifics specific to each variety.

First, transplanting should be done early, immediately after the first pair of leaves (not cotyledons) appear. Second, seedlings should be watered infrequently (weekly), but generously. And immediately after watering, ventilate the room well, avoiding drafts.

Important! Plants are considered mature when they are 45-50 days old and have formed 5-6 leaves.

Kohlrabi

Plan to sow in late March or early April. Then, in May or June, kohlrabi with 3-4 leaves can be transplanted to the garden bed, and the harvest can be completed in July or August.

Follow the same steps as for "regular" cabbage. However, there are some special considerations. The sprouts should be kept in a cold place (9-10ºC) for a week, and only then should they be brought to a relatively warm place (16-18ºC). Almost immediately after this, a single leaf will form, and the plants can be transplanted.

Onions

Growing onions from seeds isn't the most popular activity among gardeners, but it is still practiced, primarily to renew the bulbs. Germination takes at least three weeks, and after about another month, the seedlings can be transplanted to the garden. Therefore, the second half of March is a good time for sowing.

Onions don't require any pre-planting preparation; they'll do just fine in a single container. Choose a shallow (9-10 cm) container, water the soil thoroughly, and compact it lightly. Sow the seeds as evenly as possible, using a 2-3 x 5-6 cm pattern. Gently press them into the soil and cover with a thin (about 1 cm) layer of soil.

Turn the container into a "greenhouse" and provide warmth. Remove the cover immediately after the onions sprout. Provide the seedlings with regular, moderate watering and fertilize them a week before transplanting. Choose organic or organomineral fertilizers with a micronutrient complex.

Important! When growing onions from seed, you'll only get a full harvest in the second year. The first season produces what's known as "sevok" (sets).

Leeks

In principle, leeks can be sown directly into open ground, but growing them from seedlings significantly increases their yield. Some gardeners believe this also improves their flavor.

Sowing begins in mid-March. To speed up germination, pre-germinate the leeks by wrapping them in a damp cloth and placing them in a warm place for 2-3 days. This will give you a 4-5-day "time gain"; otherwise, you'll have to wait about two weeks for germination.

Sow leeks in a single container, maintaining a 1.5-2 x 5-6 cm pattern and planting 1-1.5 cm deep. Press lightly into the soil and cover with sand. Provide "greenhouse conditions." Once seedlings emerge, keep them in a relatively cool place (17-20ºC), with 10 hours of daylight.

After about a month, transplant the seedlings into small pots. When the leaves reach 10 cm in height, trim them back by about a third to stimulate root development. Plant the leeks in the garden bed after another 4-5 weeks. At this point, the plants should have at least three leaves.

Important! When transplanting, fill the containers approximately 2/3 full with soil, then gradually add more soil. This will ensure the stems are as even and dense as possible.

Basil

Basil seedlings are transplanted into the garden when they are 55-60 days old. Due to the high concentration of essential oils in the seed coat, typical of most aromatic herbs, germination is slow (it takes almost two weeks). Therefore, they can be sown after March 10th.

Pre-planting preparation doesn't significantly affect the germination rate or the rate at which basil seedlings emerge. Therefore, you can discard any specimens that are certain to fail to germinate. Non-viable seeds are lighter due to the lack of an embryo: if soaked in a solution of table salt (40-50 g/l), they will quickly rise to the surface.

Once the basil has dried to a crumbly consistency, sow it immediately. Due to its size, a shared container is the only option. However, keep in mind that the seedlings will need to be pricked out, which they don't tolerate well, stopping their growth for a week or more.

Don't plant basil too deeply. Spread it evenly over the soil as much as possible and cover it with soil (5-7 mm thick), creating a "greenhouse." Seedlings will require long days (at least half a day). You'll also need to pay special attention to watering—basil reacts sharply to overwatering, especially when combined with cold drafts.

Thyme

Grow thyme seedlings using the same method as basil. Just one more thing: leave the sown seeds on the soil surface, pressing them lightly into the soil. Do not sprinkle any soil or sand on top.

Celery root

Celery sprouts slowly and unevenly, taking anywhere from 10 days to three weeks. Seedlings develop slowly, and are planted in the garden 2-2.5 months after germination. Delaying this process isn't a problem—this crop is not afraid of overgrowth and adapts well to new locations at any age.

The best time to sow celery indoors is from February to April. There are no mandatory preparation requirements, but such procedures do not positively influence germination. The crop's slow germination is due to the high content of essential oils in the seeds.

They're small, making it difficult to work with them individually. Choose a shallow but wide container for sowing. Spread the celery as evenly as possible over the soil, then sprinkle a thin (up to 5 mm) layer of fine sand on top.

The seed container and celery sprouts require standard growing conditions. The more light the seedlings receive, the better. They are also extremely sensitive to overwatering, so watering should be monitored.