Australian planting calendar
What to plant in March in a Arid garden
Explore 51 core planting options for March in the Arid zone, with practical garden jobs and links to our growing guides.
These are broad climate-zone windows. Local weather, frost, soil conditions and your garden’s microclimate can shift timing. Check the plant guide before starting.
Not sure which zone applies? Find your zone before using this calendar. Want this tailored to your garden? Save your plants in My Garden.
Core planting options
The planting method matters: sowing seed and planting seedlings, tubers or nursery plants are different jobs. “Sow” means the underlying source does not specify direct sowing or trays.
Leafy greens
Amaranth
Sow
Core planting window: Jan–Mar, Sep–Dec
How to grow amaranthLegumes
Asparagus pea
Sow direct
Core planting window: Jan-Apr,Aug,Oct-Dec
How to grow asparagus peaHerbs
Basil
Sow
Core planting window: Aug-Mar
How to grow basilRoots & bulbs
Beetroot
Sow
Core planting window: Feb-Nov
How to grow beetrootLeafy & brassicas
Broccoli
Sow
Core planting window: Feb-Jul
How to grow broccoliRoots & bulbs
Burdock
Sow
Core planting window: Mar–Apr
How to grow burdockLeafy & brassicas
Cabbage
Sow
Core planting window: Feb-May
How to grow cabbageEdible flowers
Calendula
Sow
Core planting window: Mar–May, Sep–Oct
How to grow calendulaPods & fruit
Capsicum
Sow
Core planting window: Sep-Mar
How to grow capsicumHerbs
Caraway
Sow
Core planting window: Mar-Oct
How to grow carawayRoots & bulbs
Carrot
Sow
Core planting window: All year
How to grow carrotLeafy & brassicas
Cauliflower
Sow
Core planting window: Feb-Jul
How to grow cauliflowerLeafy greens
Chinese cabbage
Sow
Core planting window: Mar–Apr
How to grow chinese cabbageHerbs
Chives
Sow
Core planting window: Jan–Apr, Sep–Dec
How to grow chivesLeafy greens
Choy sum
Sow direct / transplant seedlings
Core planting window: Mar–Aug
How to grow choy sumLeafy greens
Collards
Sow
Core planting window: Mar
How to grow collardsRoots & bulbs
Daikon
Sow direct
Core planting window: Jan-May,Aug,Oct-Dec
How to grow daikonLeafy greens
Endive
Sow
Core planting window: Mar–Apr
How to grow endiveHerbs
Fennel
Sow
Core planting window: Mar
How to grow fennelHerbs
Fenugreek
Sow
Core planting window: Mar-Nov
How to grow fenugreekVegetables
Florence fennel
Sow
Core planting window: Mar-Aug
How to grow florence fennelLeafy greens
Gai lan
Sow direct / transplant seedlings
Core planting window: Mar–Aug
How to grow gai lanLeafy greens
Garden cress
Sow
Core planting window: All year
How to grow garden cressLeafy greens
Kale
Sow
Core planting window: Mar–Apr
How to grow kaleRoots & bulbs
Kohlrabi
Sow
Core planting window: Mar–May, Aug
How to grow kohlrabiLeafy greens
Komatsuna
Sow direct / transplant seedlings
Core planting window: Mar–Aug
How to grow komatsunaRoots & bulbs
Leek
Sow
Core planting window: Feb-Apr, Jul-Sep
How to grow leekLeafy & brassicas
Lettuce
Sow
Core planting window: Mar-Sep
How to grow lettuceRoots & bulbs
Mangel wurzel
Sow
Core planting window: Feb-Oct
How to grow mangel wurzelLeafy greens
Mizuna
Sow
Core planting window: Mar–May
How to grow mizunaLeafy greens
Mustard greens
Sow
Core planting window: All year
How to grow mustard greensEdible flowers
Nasturtium
Sow
Core planting window: Feb–Mar, Sep
How to grow nasturtiumRoots & bulbs
Onion
Sow
Core planting window: Mar-Jul
How to grow onionHerbs
Oregano
Sow
Core planting window: Mar–Apr, Sep–Nov
How to grow oreganoAsian greens
Pak choy
Sow
Core planting window: Mar-Aug
How to grow pak choyPods & fruit
Peas
Sow
Core planting window: Mar-Jul
How to grow peasHerbs
Perilla
Sow
Core planting window: Mar-Apr,Aug-Oct
How to grow perillaEdible flowers
Primrose
Sow
Core planting window: Mar-Aug
How to grow primroseRoots & bulbs
Radish
Sow
Core planting window: All year
How to grow radishTropical & subtropical edibles
Rosella
Sow
Core planting window: Jan-Mar,Sep-Dec
How to grow rosellaRoots & bulbs
Rutabaga
Sow direct
Core planting window: Feb-Aug
How to grow rutabagaHerbs
Salad burnet
Sow
Core planting window: Mar-Sep
How to grow salad burnetRoots & bulbs
Salsify
Sow direct
Core planting window: Jan-Apr,Aug,Oct-Dec
How to grow salsifyRoots & bulbs
Shallots
Plant sets / bulbs
Core planting window: Mar–May
How to grow shallotsLeafy & brassicas
Silverbeet
Sow
Core planting window: Feb-Nov
How to grow silverbeetLeafy greens
Sorrel
Sow
Core planting window: Mar-May,Sep-Nov
How to grow sorrelLeafy & brassicas
Spinach
Sow
Core planting window: Mar-Oct
How to grow spinachHerbs
Stinging nettle
Sow
Core planting window: Mar-Sep
How to grow stinging nettleLeafy greens
Tatsoi
Sow direct / transplant seedlings
Core planting window: Mar–Aug
How to grow tatsoiPods & fruit
Tomato
Sow
Core planting window: Mar-Sep
How to grow tomatoRoots & bulbs
Turnip
Sow
Core planting window: Mar–May
How to grow turnipPossible / shoulder planting options
These sit at the edge of the planting window and need more care with local conditions. They are kept separate from the core options.
Legumes
Broad beans
Sow
Core planting window: Apr–Jun
How to grow broad beansFruiting crops
Cape gooseberry
Sow
Core planting window: Aug–Sep
How to grow cape gooseberryLeafy greens
Corn salad
Sow
Core planting window: Apr–May
How to grow corn saladEdible flowers
French marigold
Sow
Core planting window: Jan–Feb, Sep–Dec
How to grow french marigoldHerbs
Parsley
Sow
Core planting window: May
How to grow parsleyRoots & bulbs
Parsnip
Sow
Core planting window: Jul–Sep
How to grow parsnipLeafy greens
Rocket
Sow
Core planting window: Apr–May
How to grow rocketHerbs
Rosemary
Sow
Core planting window: Oct–Nov
How to grow rosemaryHerbs
Sage
Sow
Core planting window: Sep–Dec
How to grow sageLegumes
Snow peas
Sow
Core planting window: Apr–Jul
How to grow snow peasEdible flowers
Sunflower
Sow
Core planting window: Jan–Feb, Aug–Dec
How to grow sunflowerHerbs
Thyme
Sow
Core planting window: Aug
How to grow thymeIn the garden in March
Use these jobs when the stated conditions apply in your garden.
Adjust irrigation as days cool
Review the controller as summer heat eases, and reduce unnecessary watering while continuing to check the root zone.
When this applies: Change settings gradually in response to weather, soil and plant condition.
Year-round care
Check before watering
Check moisture around the roots and the rain forecast before watering. Water only where needed and follow local watering rules.
When this applies: Use the soil and plant needs to guide watering, rather than a fixed calendar interval.
How to do it
Check irrigation and adjust it to the weather
At season changes, after repairs and whenever plants show uneven watering.
Water the roots, without wasting water
Only when the root area needs water. Prefer early morning, subject to local restrictions. Seeds and young plants need closer checks than established plants.
Decide whether your plant needs water
Before watering, after useful rain, and more often when plants are young or weather is hot or windy. This is a check, not a fixed watering schedule.
Sources and timing
Planting windows come from The Garden Hand’s existing planting calendar. Follow each plant link for its full growing guide. Garden jobs retain their existing zone, month and condition rules; year-round care is shown separately.
- Waterwise gardening: Watering
© The State of Queensland. Adapted and abridged; sourced 17 September 2026. No endorsement implied.
CC BY 4.0 - The Ultimate Irrigation User Guide: Central Australia
Cited for factual research only. Garden Archive wording is original; sourced 18 September 2026.
Copyright; research only