While March can be a tricky month for gardening with looming frost warnings and wet soils, home gardeners can get a head start on their growing season by planting vegetables that thrive in cool spring weather.

There are plenty of cool-season vegetables that gardeners can grow as starter plants or directly from seed in March. Vegetables such as beets, carrots, potatoes, turnips and peas thrive in the spring in various areas of Virginia. Lettuce, spinach, kale and a variety of other leafy greens also are cold hardy.

Gardeners know that timing is a critical component of successful vegetable gardening. Virginia Cooperative Extension offers a comprehensive garden vegetable planting guide with recommend planting dates, methods and amounts. The publication utilizes U.S. Department of Agriculture Plant Hardiness Zones for guidance in selecting planting dates for home gardens across Virginia.

If planting now, remain wary of any end-of-season frosts and have proper frost covering materials on standby. Visit The Old Farmer’s Almanac website for more information on protecting the garden from frost.

The Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia offers a March Vegetable Gardening To Do List for more preparation tips. MGNV recommends first testing garden soil and prepping soil with compost and other amendments as needed, and removing any plant material or debris before planting.

Refer to your local Extension Master Gardener program for gardening recommendations specific to your hardiness zone. To find your local Extension Master Gardeners, reach out to your local Extension office or search the web or Facebook.