Plant annual flower seeds indoors and outdoors in March

March is a tantalizing month for gardeners. There's so much you'd like to do, but it's not quite spring in many central and northern zones. And in the southern zones, it's warming up beautifully, but the weather is still uncertain.

As we've seen in recent seasons, any part of the U.S. can be hit by an unexpected cold snap, so gardeners still should take care with annuals they set in the ground outdoors in March. Pansies may be fine, for example, but others should wait another month or so.

Still, now is the perfect time to start some annual seeds indoors, so they'll be ready to transplant outside in six to eight weeks, when conditions will be near perfect in most zones.

And besides doing some raking of winter debris and general garden cleanup, you can also directly sow certain annual seeds outdoors in March. Those are listed below.

Here are the March tips

• Don't try to work the soil in flowerbeds yet. It'll be too soggy in most regions, and you'll just get clumps of dirt that will harden and make matters worse later. Besides, you may disturb seeds and bulbs planted last fall that are sprouting now.

• If you decide to plant seeds outdoors, cultivate only the area that will be planted. Mark the area after planting so seedlings won't be disturbed during later cultivation. This will also help you distinguish between the flowers and any weeds that have sprouted.

• The following seeds may be planted outdoors as soon as the soil can be worked — that is, when the soil unfreezes, dries out and softens enough to be turned over by a spade or garden fork. This month is generally the transition season. Remember to check the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map to be familiarize yourself with the conditions in your area.

• Gently rake debris out of flowerbeds and away from fences and shrubs to reveal soil for seed-planting. Be careful not to remove protective mulch layers from perennials or to disturb bulb growth with the rake or other tools.

• If you have mature pansies that you brought indoors last fall, you can plant them outside now. Pansies don't mind cool to moderately cold weather in early spring. But if there is extreme cold or a winter storm forecast, cover them with an old bedsheet, a tarp, upside down buckets, newspaper, straw or other protective material.

• Break out the wildflower seeds. Choose an area where they can grow with abandon, or one that is well contained. Wildflower mixes generally contain baby's breath, cornflower, four o'clocks, calendula, blue flax, candytuft, tall zinnias and marigolds. Wildflower packets usually contain annuals and perennials. With their varied heights and colors, wildflowers can be very pretty in clusters. It's a good time to get them started.

Starting seeds indoors

• Packets of flower seeds will start appearing in stores now. Most garden centers, hardware and discount stores will have seed displays beginning in March. Choose annuals that need six to eight weeks of growth indoors and can still tolerate some cool temperatures, since you'll be transplanting them in late April to early May. Other annuals that should be transplanted later can be started at the end of March or beginning of April.

• Read seed packets for information, such as planting depth, growing height, plus light and water needs. Imagine where in the garden the plants will go. Seeds will be marked as "annual" on the packet. Try to get seeds that have been harvested the previous year. This should be listed on the packet, also.

• Here is a list of some of the annual seeds that can be planted outdoors in March. Remember to follow the packet planting directions on depth. Also, check the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map for the appropriate time to plant seeds outdoors in your region.

• Keep an eye on seedlings that have sprouted indoors. Some will germinate quickly. If necessary, carefully move them to larger containers. However, seeds growing in peat pots or in peat disks can remain there until they are transplanted outdoors. Just continue to provide strong light and never let seedlings dry out. Check them each day.

• Apply weak (20 percent) liquid plant food solution to larger seedlings, which are at least two weeks old, or about an inch tall and have two to three sets of true leaves.

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