Welcome to your ultimate Spring gardening guide! In this step-by-step roadmap, you'll discover all the essential tasks needed to kickstart your garden for the season. Along the way, you’ll find links to additional blog posts that invite you to explore each topic in greater depth, ensuring you have all the knowledge and inspiration you need to cultivate your green oasis.
Here are the Basics
• Start planting in March: In Zone 5 and 6, March is an excellent time to plant cold-hardy vegetables that can tolerate the cool temperatures of early spring. View our blog post on Climate Zones.
• Spread compost in spring and fall: Spread 2-inch layer of our microbe rich compost on your existing beds to replenish microbes and nutrients.
• Plant with worm castings: Use our top quality worm castings fertilizer, also called ”vermicompost” to plant seeds and seedlings.
• Planting seeds and seedlings: View our blog posts on:
Planting for Beginners
Next Level Planting
Seed Starting Indoors
Winter Sowing outdoors.
Maximizing Your Results
• Biodiversity planting: Cultivating a variety of different plant species within a given area, aiming to create a diverse ecosystem that supports a wider range of wildlife, including pollinators, insects, and birds, by providing food and shelter throughout the growing season. View our blog post on Biodiversity
• No need to rotate crops when you practice biodiversity. Rotation is for monoculture planting (same crops in one field or one bed).
• Succession Planting: Sow fast-growing crops every 2-3 weeks for a continuous harvest. View our blog post on Succession Planting.
• Maximize space: Use trellises for peas, companion plant smaller crops between slow-growing ones. View our blog post on Trellises
• Mulch early: Use straw or compost to retain moisture and suppress weeds after seedlings are 3 inches tall. If you use both, put the straw on top.Try not to mix straw with soil/compost since it dilutes the compost nutrients. Don’t use hay or anything that contains weed seeds. View our blog post on Moisture and Mulch.
Managing Pests
• Pest alert Swede Midge: Protect from Swede Midge fly which attacks only Brassica crops like broccoli, collards, cabbage, kale, Brussel sprouts. We got decent harvests from kale and collards last year by protecting our beds with bug netting, and harvesting all big leaves quickly. Wash the leaves well. Swede Midge is a recent invasive pest in the Northeast and Midwest.View blog post on Swede Midge fly.
• Pest alert Club Root disease: We stopped growing broccoli altogether because protection from Club Root disease needs a large garden and takes to much time and planning. Watch this video on club root disease.
• Install Hoops and Netting to stop pests. See Installing Hoops on Raised Beds.
Cold Tolerant Veggies
All of these can be direct-seeded outdoors as soon as the soil is workable and above freezing. If you want a head start, you can start some of these indoors and transplant them in mid to late March.
Leafy Greens:
• Lettuce (Romaine, Butterhead, Leaf varieties)
• Spinach (doesn’t transplant well, direct seed in November)
• Swiss Chard
• Arugula
• Endive
• Radicchio
Root Vegetables:
• Carrots
• Beets
• Parsnips
• Radishes
• Turnips (not Brassica but closely related)
• Salsify
Alliums (Onion Family):
• Onions (sets or seeds)
• Shallots
• Garlic (if not already planted in fall)
• Leeks (start indoors or plant young starts)
Legumes:
• Peas (snap peas, shelling peas, snow peas, all need a trellis)
• Fava Beans (needs a trellis)
Herbs:
• Cilantro
• Parsley
• Chervil
Growing in Partial Sunlight
If you have less than 8 hours of full sun, you can still grow a variety of spring vegetables, including leafy greens like lettuce, kale, spinach, and chard, as well as root vegetables like carrots, radishes, and beets. Here's a list of vegetables that can tolerate less than 8 hours of full sun:
Leafy Greens:
• Lettuce: Most lettuce varieties thrive in partial shade.
• Kale: Kale can tolerate partial shade and will still produce edible leaves, though they may not be as stocky as those grown in full sun.
• Spinach: Spinach is another excellent choice for partial shade.
• Chard (Swiss Chard): Swiss chard is a great option for partial shade, and its leaves can bolt and become bitter if exposed to too much sun.
• Arugula: Arugula also does well in partial shade.
• Mustard Greens: These greens are also shade-tolerant.
• Collard Greens: Collard greens can also thrive in partial shade.
Root Vegetables:
• Carrots: Carrots can tolerate partial shade, though they may take longer to mature.
• Radishes: Radishes are relatively shade-tolerant.
• Beets: Beets also prefer full sun, but can tolerate partial shade.
• Turnips: Turnips can tolerate partial shade.
• Rutabaga: Rutabaga is another root vegetable that can tolerate partial shade.
Planting Tips for Early Spring Veggies
Since March in Zone 6 can still have frost, it's best to focus on cold-hardy vegetables that tolerate chilly soil. Here are some tips for direct seeding and transplanting:
1. Soil preparation
• Fill new raised beds or in-ground beds with our microbe-rich compost
• Cover the existing beds with 2 inches of our microbe-rich compost.
• Make sure the soil is workable (not too wet or frozen). If it crumbles in your hand and isn’t sticky, it’s good to go.
• Use “row cover” light-weight white fabric to warm up the soil faster and provide a slight frost buffer.
2. Direct-seeding cold-hardy vegetables (best for March)
These seeds can go directly in the ground when soil reaches 35–40°F:
• Peas (Trellis them to save space)
• Spinach (best to direct seed in November, can also sow every 2 weeks in spring for continued harvest)
• Carrots (Thin seedlings to avoid crowding)
• Beets (Soak seeds overnight for better germination)
• Radishes (Quick-growing; ready in 25-30 days)
• Parsnips (Long germination time; sow with radishes as a marker)
• Salsify (A lesser-known root vegetable; plant deep)
3. Transplanting young plants
Certain cold-hardy plants do better when started indoors and transplanted out in early spring. A quick alternative is to buy seedlings. “Winter sowing” using clear plastic milk jugs is also an option:
• Lettuce (Start indoors 3-4 weeks before planting out)
• Swiss Chard (Tolerates cold but grows faster from transplants)
• Leeks (Need a long season, so start early indoors)
• Onions (Plant sets or seedlings rather than seeds for an earlier harvest)
Succession Planting for a Continuous Harvest
Instead of planting everything at once, stagger your plantings for a continuous supply of fresh vegetables.
1. Quick-growing crops for succession planting
• Radishes – Every 10-14 days (harvests in 25-30 days)
• Spinach – Every 2 weeks (harvest young leaves continuously)
• Lettuce – Every 2-3 weeks (mix different varieties for variety)
• Cilantro & Parsley – Every 3 weeks (bolt-resistant varieties last longer)
2. Slow-growing crops that can be inter-cropped
• Carrots & Radishes – Plant together; radishes sprout first and loosen the soil for carrots.
• Beets & Lettuce – Beets take longer; lettuce matures quickly between rows.
• Peas & Spinach – Spinach can grow underneath peas before they take off.
3. Relay planting strategy
Once an early crop is harvested, immediately replant with something that can take its place:
• March: Radishes → Follow with carrots or bush beans (after frost risk)
• March: Peas → Follow with cucumbers or summer squash
• March-April: Spinach → Follow with basil or peppers in late spring
• March-April: Lettuce: Follow with warm-season greens (Malabar spinach
Early spring planting calendar (March-May)
This early spring calendar for Zone 6 outlines when to direct sow (DS), transplant (TP), or start seeds indoors (IN) for your early spring vegetables. Check the calendar for when to transplant purchased seedlings. Start Indoors (IN) for “Succession Crops” – more lettuce, radishes, cilantro, spinach for future plantings.
March Planting
March soil is workable, but it’s still cold, and there is some frost risk.
Direct seed (DS) outdoors:
• Peas (Sugar snap, shelling, snow) – Use trellises for vertical growth.
• Spinach – Best germination at 35–45°F soil temp.
• Carrots – Cover with burlap to maintain moisture.
• Beets – Soak seeds overnight for faster sprouting.
• Radishes – Successive plantings every 10-14 days.
• Parsnips – Takes 14–21 days to germinate, plant in loose soil.
• Salsify – Long season crop, plant deep.
Transplant (TP) outdoors.
(“Harden off” first. Gradually expose young plants grown indoors to outdoor conditions like sunlight, wind, and temperature fluctuations.
• Lettuce – Choose cold-hardy varieties like 'Winter Density.'
• Swiss Chard – Can tolerate frost but grows faster if started indoors.
• Leeks – Space 6 inches apart for full-size bulbs.
Start indoors (IN) for later transplanting:
• Celery – Needs 10-12 weeks indoors before transplant.
• Parsley & Cilantro – Start now and succession plant every 3 weeks.
April Planting
It’s still cool but warming with moderate frost risk.
Direct seed (DS) outdoors:
• More lettuce, spinach, radishes, carrots, beets – Continue succession planting.
• Green onions (scallions) – Can be grown densely.
• Fava Beans – Tolerate cool weather well.
Transplant (TP) outdoors:
• Swiss Chard – If not already planted in March.
• Leeks, onions, and celery – After hardening off.
Start indoors (IN) for warm season crops:
• Malabar Spinach (heat-loving alternative to spinach)
• Basil, Dill, and other tender herbs – Start for later transplant.
May Planting
Frost risk decreasing, more growth
Direct seed (DS) outdoors:
• Bush Beans – Only if soil reaches 55°F+ consistently.
• New rounds of radishes, lettuce, spinach, carrots, beets.
• Sweet Corn – Wait until soil is 60°F+ for best germination.
Transplant (TP) outdoors:
• Basil, Malabar Spinach, Summer Herbs – Once nighttime temps stay above 50°F.
• Celery & Parsley – Need regular watering.
Companion planting guide
Companion planting boosts plant health, repels pests, and enhances yields. Sow fast-growing crops every 2-3 weeks for a continuous harvest. Maximize space – use trellises for peas, companion plant smaller crops between slow-growing ones. Here’s how to pair your early spring crops:
Good companion pairings
• Carrots + Onions/Leeks – Onions repel carrot rust flies.
• Peas + Spinach – Peas provide shade for spinach in warming months.
• Beets + Lettuce – Lettuce fills gaps between slow-growing beets.
• Radishes + Carrots – Radishes loosen soil for slow-sprouting carrots.
• Lettuce + Cilantro – Cilantro helps deter aphids.
• Parsley + Carrots – Encourages beneficial insects like hoverflies.
• Peas + Mint – Mint deters aphids (but plant mint in containers!).
Avoid these pairings
• Carrots + Dill – Dill can stunt carrot growth.
• Peas + Onions – Onions inhibit pea growth.
• Beets + Pole Beans – Compete for nutrients.
• Fennel + Any Veggies – Fennel secretes chemicals that stop growth.
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