What to plant this week in Washington, DC
With average minimums hovering near 10°F and the last frost officially behind us on March 13, DC gardeners are shifting from hardening off to aggressive planting. This week marks a critical pivot where you can finally harvest early summer crops like bush beans and basil while sowing your final rounds of garlic for next year's crop.
The next 7 days
Washington, DCGrowing in Washington right now
- Take advantage of the city's dense urban heat island effect to start warm-season crops like okra and cucumbers indoors now, as they will hit the ground running once transplanted into the DC spring soil.
- Monitor local water restrictions common in Washington; while rainfall is often erratic in early spring, rely on mulch to retain moisture around your newly sown ornamental alliums and garlic.
- The clay-heavy soils typical of much of Arlington and Fairfax County areas will remain cold and wet this week; do not transplant delicate seedlings until the top 6 inches feel warm to the touch.
- Capitalize on the immediate window before summer rains to harvest acorn squash and butternut, as these mature quickly in our short growing season.
Sow this week
2 crops- Garlic
- Ornamental Allium
Transplant this week
Nothing is due to go out this week.
Harvest soon
44 crops- Acorn Squash
- Basil
- Borage
- Bush Bean
- Butternut Squash
- Cantaloupe
- Celosia (Cockscomb)
- Cleome (Spider Flower)
- Cosmos
- Cowpea (Black-Eyed Pea)
- Cucumber
- Delicata Squash
- Edamame
- Fennel
- Flour Corn
- French Marigold
- Garden Verbena
- Garlic
- Gomphrena (Globe Amaranth)
- Gourd (Ornamental/Bottle)
- Honeydew Melon
- Lima Bean
- Loofah (Luffa)
- Malabar Spinach
- Morning Glory
- Nasturtium
- Okra
- Pole Bean
- Pumpkin
- Purslane
- Roselle (Cranberry Hibiscus)
- Scarlet Runner Bean
- Shiso (Japanese Basil)
- Spaghetti Squash
- Summer Savory
- Sunflower
- Sweet Corn
- Thai Basil
- Vinca (Madagascar Periwinkle)
- Watermelon
- Winter Squash
- Yellow Summer Squash
- Zinnia
- Zucchini
Seasonal tips
- Harvest acorn, butternut, and spaghetti squash while they are still tender before the skins toughen up.
- Succession sow bush beans, cowpeas, and pole beans now to extend your bean harvest into late summer.
- Pinch back basil and borage regularly to encourage lush growth and prevent bolting as heat increases.
Pest & disease watch
- Watch for early aphid colonies forming on the tender growth of basil and zinnias as temperatures stabilize above 50°F.
- Keep an eye out for slugs feeding on seedlings near storm drains where moisture accumulates in low-lying areas of the city.
- Monitor your garlic beds for spring onion fly, which can be a nuisance in our specific microclimates along the Anacostia River.
Watering this week
Water deeply at the base of squash and melons every 2-3 days to keep fruits from cracking and foliage from rotting.
Don't forget to harvest garlic that is listed for both sowing now and harvesting soon, as it may be a late spring crop or early fall storage bulb depending on your specific microclimate.
Washington gardening questions
3Can I still plant tomatoes this week given the recent chill?
Wait until next week when soil temperatures consistently rise above 50°F; planting now risks root rot in DC's often damp spring clay. Focus this week on harvesting your existing basil and bush beans instead.
What is the best time to sow garlic for the upcoming fall harvest?
This week is ideal for sowing hardneck varieties like Purple Stripe, as our average last frost date of March 13 ensures they establish roots before summer heat sets in.
My zucchini plants are producing but I'm not getting fruit on the vines nearby?
Hand-pollinate by transferring pollen from male to female flowers with a small brush; DC's variable spring weather sometimes confuses native pollinators during peak bloom.
Other cities in zone 8a
11See the full zone 8a guide → · Plan your Washington garden in SproutGuide →