Australian planting calendar
What to plant in March in a Tropical garden
Explore 66 core planting options for March in the Tropical 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: Mar-Jul
How to grow alyssumLegumes
Asparagus pea
Sow direct
Core planting window: Mar-Jul
How to grow asparagus peaHerbs
Basil
Sow
Core planting window: All year
How to grow basilPods & fruit
Beans (bush/French)
Sow
Core planting window: Mar-Aug
How to grow beans (bush/french)Roots & bulbs
Beetroot
Sow
Core planting window: Mar-Jun
How to grow beetrootTropical & subtropical edibles
Bitter melon
Sow
Core planting window: Feb-Nov
How to grow bitter melonLeafy & brassicas
Broccoli
Sow
Core planting window: Mar-Jun
How to grow broccoliLeafy greens
Brussels sprouts
Sow
Core planting window: Feb–Apr
How to grow brussels sproutsEdible flowers
Calendula
Sow
Core planting window: Mar–May, Aug–Oct
How to grow calendulaFruiting crops
Cape gooseberry
Sow
Core planting window: Mar–Aug
How to grow cape gooseberryPods & fruit
Capsicum
Sow
Core planting window: All year
How to grow capsicumHerbs
Caraway
Sow
Core planting window: Mar-Oct
How to grow carawayRoots & bulbs
Carrot
Sow
Core planting window: Mar-Jul
How to grow carrotLeafy & brassicas
Cauliflower
Sow
Core planting window: Mar-May
How to grow cauliflowerHerbs
Chamomile
Sow
Core planting window: All year
How to grow chamomileLegumes
Chickpea
Sow
Core planting window: Mar-May
How to grow chickpeaPods & fruit
Chilli
Sow
Core planting window: All year
How to grow chilliHerbs
Chives
Sow
Core planting window: Mar–Jul
How to grow chivesPods & fruit
Cucumber
Sow
Core planting window: Feb-Sep
How to grow cucumberHerbs
Dandelion
Sow
Core planting window: Mar-Sep
How to grow dandelionFruit
Dragon fruit
Plant rooted cutting / nursery stock
Core planting window: All year outside waterlogged periods
How to grow dragon fruitPods & fruit
Eggplant
Sow
Core planting window: All year
How to grow eggplantHerbs
Fenugreek
Sow
Core planting window: Mar-Nov
How to grow fenugreekEdible flowers
French marigold
Sow
Core planting window: Mar–Oct
How to grow french marigoldLeafy greens
Garden cress
Sow
Core planting window: All year
How to grow garden cressTropical & subtropical edibles
Ginger
Plant rhizomes
Core planting window: Mar-Aug,Oct-Nov
How to grow gingerLeafy greens
Ice plant
Sow
Core planting window: Mar-Sep
How to grow ice plantRoots & bulbs
Kohlrabi
Sow
Core planting window: Mar–Jul
How to grow kohlrabiPods & fruit
Lablab
Sow direct
Core planting window: All year
How to grow lablabRoots & bulbs
Leek
Sow
Core planting window: Mar-May
How to grow leekLegumes
Lima bean
Sow
Core planting window: Feb-Oct
How to grow lima beanFruiting crops
Luffa
Sow
Core planting window: Mar–Jun
How to grow luffaLeafy greens
Malabar spinach
Sow direct / transplant seedlings
Core planting window: All year
How to grow malabar spinachRoots & bulbs
Mangel wurzel
Sow
Core planting window: Mar-Jun
How to grow mangel wurzelFruiting crops
Marrow
Sow
Core planting window: Mar-Aug
How to grow marrowHerbs
Marshmallow
Sow
Core planting window: All year
How to grow marshmallowHerbs
Meadowsweet
Sow
Core planting window: Mar-Sep
How to grow meadowsweetPods & fruit
Mung bean
Sow direct
Core planting window: Mar–Aug
How to grow mung beanLeafy greens
Mustard greens
Sow
Core planting window: Jan–Nov
How to grow mustard greensEdible flowers
Nasturtium
Sow
Core planting window: Feb–Sep
How to grow nasturtiumFruiting crops
Okra
Sow
Core planting window: Mar–Sep
How to grow okraFruit
Papaya
Plant nursery stock
Core planting window: All year; avoid saturated peak-wet sites
How to grow papayaRoots & bulbs
Parsnip
Sow
Core planting window: Mar–Aug
How to grow parsnipLegumes
Peanut
Sow
Core planting window: Mar-May
How to grow peanutPods & fruit
Peas
Sow
Core planting window: Mar-Jun
How to grow peasHerbs
Perilla
Sow
Core planting window: Mar-Sep
How to grow perillaPods & fruit
Pigeon pea
Sow direct
Core planting window: All year
How to grow pigeon peaHerbs
Plantain
Sow
Core planting window: Mar-Sep
How to grow plantainEdible flowers
Primrose
Sow
Core planting window: Feb-Jun
How to grow primrosePods & fruit
Pumpkin
Sow
Core planting window: Mar-Aug
How to grow pumpkinRoots & bulbs
Radish
Sow
Core planting window: All year
How to grow radishFruiting crops
Rockmelon
Sow
Core planting window: Mar–Jun
How to grow rockmelonRoots & bulbs
Rutabaga
Sow direct
Core planting window: Feb-May
How to grow rutabagaHerbs
Salad burnet
Sow
Core planting window: Mar-Sep
How to grow salad burnetRoots & bulbs
Shallots
Plant sets / bulbs
Core planting window: Mar–May
How to grow shallotsLeafy & brassicas
Silverbeet
Sow
Core planting window: Mar-Jul
How to grow silverbeetLeafy greens
Sorrel
Sow
Core planting window: Mar-May
How to grow sorrelFruiting crops
Squash
Sow
Core planting window: Mar–Jul
How to grow squashHerbs
Stinging nettle
Sow
Core planting window: Mar-Sep
How to grow stinging nettleEdible flowers
Sunflower
Sow
Core planting window: Mar–Nov
How to grow sunflowerPods & fruit
Sweet corn
Sow
Core planting window: All year
How to grow sweet cornRoots & tubers
Sweet potato
Plant slips / rooted cuttings
Core planting window: All year where drainage permits
How to grow sweet potatoPods & fruit
Tomato
Sow
Core planting window: Mar-Jul
How to grow tomatoFruiting crops
Watermelon
Sow
Core planting window: Mar–Jul
How to grow watermelonLegumes
Yardlong bean
Sow
Core planting window: Feb-Oct
How to grow yardlong beanPods & fruit
Zucchini
Sow
Core planting window: Feb-Sep
How to grow zucchiniPossible / 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.
Leafy greens
Amaranth
Sow
Core planting window: Apr–Aug
How to grow amaranthRoots & bulbs
Burdock
Sow
Core planting window: Apr–Jun
How to grow burdockLeafy greens
Chicory
Sow
Core planting window: Apr–May
How to grow chicoryLeafy greens
Chinese cabbage
Sow
Core planting window: Apr–Jul
How to grow chinese cabbageLegumes
Climbing beans
Sow
Core planting window: Apr–Jul
How to grow climbing beansLeafy greens
Endive
Sow
Core planting window: Apr–Jun
How to grow endiveHerbs
Fennel
Sow
Core planting window: Apr–Jun
How to grow fennelPerennial edibles
Globe artichoke
Sow
Core planting window: Apr–Jul
How to grow globe artichokeLeafy greens
Kale
Sow
Core planting window: Apr–May
How to grow kaleLeafy greens
Mizuna
Sow
Core planting window: Apr–Jun
How to grow mizunaHerbs
Parsley
Sow
Core planting window: May–Jul
How to grow parsleyHerbs
Rosemary
Sow
Core planting window: May
How to grow rosemaryHerbs
Sage
Sow
Core planting window: Apr–Jul
How to grow sageHerbs
Sweet marjoram
Sow
Core planting window: Apr–May
How to grow sweet marjoramHerbs
Thyme
Sow
Core planting window: Jun–Jul
How to grow thymeRoots & bulbs
Turnip
Sow
Core planting window: Apr–Jun
How to grow turnipLeafy greens
Warrigal greens
Sow
Core planting window: Apr
How to grow warrigal greensIn 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