March heralds the beginning of autumn, so there’s lots of tidying up in the garden. The weather remains warm and humid in areas as far south of the country as Sydney and Perth. With the cooler conditions and moist soils, it’s also an ideal time to plant new trees, as the weather is milder and there is some time for the trees to establish themselves before winter arrives.
It’s a windy month due to cyclone season that runs from November to April in the country’s north. The wet season continues this month in Darwin with heavy but reducing rainfall.
Plant ginger from pieces of root and plant shoots or cuttings (slips) of sweet potato now.
Things to Do This Month:
- Compost autumn leaves
- Collect perennial seeds and divide overgrown perennial plants
- Start planting new trees, shrubs, climbers, annuals and perennials – remember to water them regularly until they establish
- Relocate evergreen shrubs (can be done either in autumn and early spring)
- Remove autumn leaves from ponds and water gardens and thin out aquatic plants
- Stop feeding container plants
- Cut down asparagus foliage as it starts turning yellow and mulch the plants generously
- Net trees to protect fruit from birds
Vegetables and Herbs to Grow in March (Tropical Climate)
| March Seeds to Sow and Seedlings to Plant (Tropical Climate Australia) | Sow/Plant | Harvest (weeks) |
| Asparagus Pea | d | 8-11 |
| Basil | st | 10-12 |
| Beetroot | dst | 7-10 |
| Cape Gooseberry | dst | 14-16 |
| Chicory | s | 16-24 |
| Chives | s | 7-11 |
| Cucumber | s | 8-10 |
| Endive | s | 10-11 |
| Fennel (Bronze) | s | 14-15 |
| French Tarragon | s | 30-40 days |
| Ginger | plant pieces of root | 25 |
| Kohlrabi | s | 7-10 |
| Lettuce | s | 8-12 |
| Luffa | s | 11-12 |
| Marrow | s | 12-17 |
| Mustard Greens | dst | 5-8 |
| Okra | s | 11-14 |
| Parsley | s | 9-19 |
| Peas | s | 9-11 |
| Pumpkin | s | 15-20 |
| Rockmelon (Cantaloupe) | s | 10-16 |
| Swedes (Rutabaga) | dst | 10-14 |
| Shallots | d | 12-15 |
| Silverbeet (Swiss Chard) | s | 7-12 |
| Squash | s | 7-8 |
| Sunflower | s | 10-11 |
| Sweet Corn | dst | 11-14 |
| Sweet Potato (Kumara) | plant shoots or cuttings (slips) | 15-17 |
| Watermelon | s | 9-14 |
| Zucchini (Courgette, Marrow) | s | 6-9 |
Key:
d = sow seeds directly into ground
s = sow seeds into seed tray
ds = sow seeds directly into ground or seed tray
t = transplant seedlings (small plants) into larger pots or plant into ground
*= frost tender
**= sow after frost
Download printable PDF version of Gardening Calendar (Australian Tropical Climate) – March
To help improve these garden calendars, feedback and additional information from readers is greatly appreciated! Australia’s climate varies considerably, and local knowledge of when particular things need to be done in the garden are most helpful to others living in those area, so please feel free to share.