My Planting Calendar

What to plant in February in zone 3

USDA zone 3 has winter lows of -40 to -30°F, a typical last spring frost around May 15 and first fall frost around Sep 15, roughly 120 frost-free days. February is the "a planning month" there.

5 crops have a sowing or planting window this month.

Dates come from the typical frost dates of USDA zone 3 (last frost May 15, first frost Sep 15). A zone covers many climates, so for dates tuned to your town use the planting calendar, or pick your state below.

A planning monthSow or plant: 5Start indoors: 5Harvesting: 0

Zone 3: planting activity through the year

0
5
29
65
91
69
34
8
2
2
0
0
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Frost riskFrost-free: May 15 – Sep 15
Bars count the vegetables, herbs and fruit with a sowing or planting window in each month, from the state’s average frost dates. 5 have one in February; the busiest month is May (91).

Start seeds indoors in February (5)

Indoor sowings for transplants later. Six to eight weeks under lights is typical for tomatoes and peppers; onions and leeks need longer.

CropWhat to doWindowThis month
CeleriacStart seeds indoorsFeb 20 – Mar 6Opens Feb 20
CeleryStart seeds indoorsFeb 27 – Mar 13Opens Feb 27
LeekStart seeds indoorsFeb 27 – Mar 13Opens Feb 27
OnionStart seeds indoorsFeb 27 – Mar 13Opens Feb 27
RosemaryStart seeds indoorsFeb 27 – Mar 13Opens Feb 27

A planning month: February garden jobs in zone 3

  1. Order seed while stock is good. Zone 3's average last frost is May 15, so the first indoor sowings begin around February 20 - see starting seeds indoors.
  2. Sketch this year's beds and move each crop family to a new spot - the garden planner and the crop rotation guide make it quick.
  3. Test old seed: roll ten seeds in a damp paper towel for a week. If fewer than seven sprout, sow thicker or buy fresh.
  4. If the ground isn't frozen, spread compost now so it's worked in by spring, and send off a soil test - February is when labs are quiet.

Questions gardeners ask

What can I plant in zone 3 in February?

5 crops have a window in February: celeriac, celery, leek, onion, rosemary. The tables above give the exact dates for each.

When are the last and first frost in zone 3?

The typical last spring frost is around May 15 and the first fall frost around Sep 15. These are broad zone averages, so your own town can be a week or two either side: look yours up by ZIP code in the planting calendar.

What should I start indoors in zone 3 in February?

Celeriac (Feb 20 – Mar 6), Celery (Feb 27 – Mar 13), Leek (Feb 27 – Mar 13), Onion (Feb 27 – Mar 13), Rosemary (Feb 27 – Mar 13).

February in states with land in zone 3

AlaskaColoradoIdahoMaineMinnesotaMontanaNew HampshireNew YorkNorth DakotaSouth DakotaVermontWisconsinWyoming

Zone 3 in other months

MarchAprilMayJuneJulyAugustSeptemberOctoberZone 3 overview →

What to plant in February in other zones

Zone 4Zone 5Zone 6Zone 7Zone 8Zone 9Zone 10All states →

Dates are computed from the zone’s typical frost dates and each crop’s timing in our crop database. Your garden may be a week or two either side.