Australian planting calendar
What to plant in March in a Subtropical garden
Explore 76 core planting options for March in the Subtropical 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.
Edible flowers
Alyssum
Sow
Core planting window: Jan-Apr,Aug-Dec
How to grow alyssumLeafy greens
Amaranth
Sow
Core planting window: Jan–Mar, Aug–Dec
How to grow amaranthLegumes
Asparagus pea
Sow direct
Core planting window: Jan-Apr,Aug,Oct-Dec
How to grow asparagus peaPods & fruit
Beans (bush/French)
Sow
Core planting window: Aug-Apr
How to grow beans (bush/french)Roots & bulbs
Beetroot
Sow
Core planting window: Feb-Nov
How to grow beetrootLegumes
Broad beans
Sow
Core planting window: Mar–Jun
How to grow broad beansLeafy & brassicas
Broccoli
Sow
Core planting window: Mar-Jun
How to grow broccoliLeafy greens
Brussels sprouts
Sow
Core planting window: Feb–Jun
How to grow brussels sproutsRoots & bulbs
Burdock
Sow
Core planting window: Jan–May, Aug–Dec
How to grow burdockLeafy & brassicas
Cabbage
Sow
Core planting window: Mar-Oct
How to grow cabbageEdible flowers
Calendula
Sow
Core planting window: Mar–Jun
How to grow calendulaFruiting crops
Cape gooseberry
Sow
Core planting window: Jan–Mar, Jul–Dec
How to grow cape gooseberryHerbs
Caraway
Sow
Core planting window: Feb-Nov
How to grow carawayRoots & bulbs
Carrot
Sow
Core planting window: Feb-Nov
How to grow carrotLeafy & brassicas
Cauliflower
Sow
Core planting window: Mar-May
How to grow cauliflowerRoots & bulbs
Celeriac
Sow
Core planting window: Mar–Apr, Aug
How to grow celeriacVegetables
Celery
Sow
Core planting window: Mar–Apr, Aug–Sep
How to grow celeryHerbs
Chamomile
Sow
Core planting window: Mar-Oct
How to grow chamomileHerbs
Chervil
Sow
Core planting window: Mar-Sep
How to grow chervilPods & fruit
Chilli
Sow
Core planting window: Jul-Mar
How to grow chilliHerbs
Chives
Sow
Core planting window: All year
How to grow chivesLegumes
Climbing beans
Sow
Core planting window: Jan–Mar, Aug–Dec
How to grow climbing beansLeafy greens
Collards
Sow
Core planting window: Mar–May
How to grow collardsHerbs
Coriander
Sow
Core planting window: Mar-May, Jul-Aug
How to grow corianderLeafy greens
Corn salad
Sow
Core planting window: Mar–May, Sep–Nov
How to grow corn saladEdible flowers
Cornflower
Sow
Core planting window: Jan-May,Nov-Dec
How to grow cornflowerPods & fruit
Cucumber
Sow
Core planting window: Jul-Mar
How to grow cucumberHerbs
Dill
Sow
Core planting window: Mar–May, Jul–Aug
How to grow dillFruit
Dragon fruit
Plant rooted cutting / nursery stock
Core planting window: Sep–Apr
How to grow dragon fruitPods & fruit
Edamame
Sow direct
Core planting window: Aug–Mar
How to grow edamamePods & fruit
Eggplant
Sow
Core planting window: Aug-Mar
How to grow eggplantLeafy greens
Endive
Sow
Core planting window: Mar–Jun
How to grow endiveHerbs
Fenugreek
Sow
Core planting window: Mar-Nov
How to grow fenugreekVegetables
Florence fennel
Sow
Core planting window: Feb-Jun
How to grow florence fennelLeafy greens
Garden cress
Sow
Core planting window: All year
How to grow garden cressRoots & bulbs
Garlic
Plant cloves
Core planting window: Mar-Jun
How to grow garlicTropical & subtropical edibles
Ginger
Plant rhizomes
Core planting window: Jan-Mar,Oct-Dec
How to grow gingerLeafy greens
Kale
Sow
Core planting window: Mar–May
How to grow kaleRoots & bulbs
Kohlrabi
Sow
Core planting window: Mar–Jun
How to grow kohlrabiPods & fruit
Lablab
Sow direct
Core planting window: Aug–Mar
How to grow lablabRoots & bulbs
Leek
Sow
Core planting window: Jan-Apr, Aug-Sep
How to grow leekLeafy & brassicas
Lettuce
Sow
Core planting window: All year
How to grow lettuceLegumes
Lima bean
Sow
Core planting window: Jan-Apr,Aug-Dec
How to grow lima beanLeafy greens
Malabar spinach
Sow direct / transplant seedlings
Core planting window: Sep–Mar
How to grow malabar spinachRoots & bulbs
Mangel wurzel
Sow
Core planting window: Feb-Oct
How to grow mangel wurzelFruiting crops
Marrow
Sow
Core planting window: Jan-Mar,Aug,Oct-Dec
How to grow marrowHerbs
Marshmallow
Sow
Core planting window: Feb-Oct
How to grow marshmallowHerbs
Meadowsweet
Sow
Core planting window: Feb-Oct
How to grow meadowsweetLeafy 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–Sep
How to grow nasturtiumRoots & bulbs
Onion
Sow
Core planting window: Feb-Jun
How to grow onionHerbs
Oregano
Sow
Core planting window: Mar–Apr, Aug–Oct
How to grow oreganoAsian greens
Pak choy
Sow
Core planting window: Feb-Jun
How to grow pak choyFruit
Papaya
Plant nursery stock
Core planting window: Sep–Mar
How to grow papayaHerbs
Parsley
Sow
Core planting window: Mar–May
How to grow parsleyPods & fruit
Peas
Sow
Core planting window: Mar-Jul
How to grow peasPods & fruit
Pigeon pea
Sow direct
Core planting window: Aug–Mar
How to grow pigeon peaHerbs
Plantain
Sow
Core planting window: Jan-Mar,Aug-Dec
How to grow plantainEdible flowers
Primrose
Sow
Core planting window: Feb-Aug
How to grow primrosePods & fruit
Pumpkin
Sow
Core planting window: Aug-Mar
How to grow pumpkinLeafy greens
Purslane
Sow
Core planting window: Jan-Mar,Aug-Dec
How to grow purslaneRoots & bulbs
Radish
Sow
Core planting window: All year
How to grow radishLeafy greens
Rocket
Sow
Core planting window: Mar–Oct
How to grow rocketRoots & bulbs
Rutabaga
Sow direct
Core planting window: Jan-May
How to grow rutabagaHerbs
Salad burnet
Sow
Core planting window: Feb-Oct
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: All year
How to grow silverbeetLegumes
Snow peas
Sow
Core planting window: Mar–Jul
How to grow snow peasLeafy & brassicas
Spinach
Sow
Core planting window: Mar-Jul
How to grow spinachRoots & bulbs
Spring onions
Sow
Core planting window: Feb-May,Jul-Aug,Oct
How to grow spring onionsEdible flowers
Sunflower
Sow
Core planting window: Jan–May, Aug–Dec
How to grow sunflowerPods & fruit
Tomato
Sow
Core planting window: Aug-Mar
How to grow tomatoRoots & bulbs
Turnip
Sow
Core planting window: Jan–May, Aug–Dec
How to grow turnipLegumes
Yardlong bean
Sow
Core planting window: Jan-Apr,Aug-Dec
How to grow yardlong beanPossible / 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.
Herbs
Borage
Sow
Core planting window: Aug–Nov
How to grow borageLeafy greens
Chicory
Sow
Core planting window: Apr–May
How to grow chicoryLeafy greens
Chinese cabbage
Sow
Core planting window: Jul–Aug
How to grow chinese cabbageEdible flowers
French marigold
Sow
Core planting window: Jan–Feb, Jul–Dec
How to grow french marigoldHerbs
Lemon balm
Sow
Core planting window: Aug–Oct
How to grow lemon balmFruiting crops
Luffa
Sow
Core planting window: Jan, Aug–Dec
How to grow luffaRoots & bulbs
Parsnip
Sow
Core planting window: Jun–Sep
How to grow parsnipHerbs
Rosemary
Sow
Core planting window: Sep–Oct
How to grow rosemaryHerbs
Sage
Sow
Core planting window: Aug–Nov
How to grow sageHerbs
Sweet marjoram
Sow
Core planting window: Sep–Oct
How to grow sweet marjoramHerbs
Thyme
Sow
Core planting window: Jul–Oct
How to grow thymeIn the garden in March
Use these jobs when the stated conditions apply in your garden.
Review your organic mulch
Check whether organic mulch has broken down and needs replenishing. Choose a suitable material and keep it clear of stems.
When this applies: Top up only where needed. Fine mulch can compact and block water; do not automatically add a thick layer.
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 and top up garden mulch
When cover has thinned or bare soil needs protection. Assess what is already there before adding another layer.
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: Mulching
© The State of Queensland. Adapted and abridged; sourced 17 September 2026. No endorsement implied.
CC BY 4.0 - Waterwise gardening: Watering
© The State of Queensland. Adapted and abridged; sourced 17 September 2026. No endorsement implied.
CC BY 4.0