March in the garden.

What to plant in March

• Beetroot Beta vulgaris · vegetable · sow direct · zones 5 to 10

  Each knobbly beet seed is really a cluster, so thin the seedlings early or you get a tangle. Sow a short row every three weeks and you will never be without them.

• African Marigold Tagetes erecta · flower · start indoors · zones 1 to 9

  Fast, cheerful and almost impossible to kill. Sow now under cover and the plants will be in bud by the time the last frost has passed.

• Nasturtium Tropaeolum majus · climber · sow direct · zones 9 to 11

  Where frosts are already behind you, push the big seeds straight into poor soil and leave them alone. Rich ground gives you a jungle of leaves and very few of the peppery flowers you actually want.

• Carrot Daucus carota · vegetable · sow direct · zones 6 to 11

  Carrots hate being moved, so always sow them where they will grow. Keep the bed stone free and evenly damp and the roots will run straight down.

• Garden cosmos Cosmos bipinnatus · flower · start indoors · zones 1 to 9

  Cosmos flowers harder in thin soil than in good compost. Start it under cover now, then pinch the tip once so it branches instead of running straight up.

• Raspberry Rubus idaeus · fruit · plant out · zones 2 to 8

  Plant bare root canes while they are still dormant, then cut them back hard to about 25 centimeters. Giving up the first year buys you a far stronger row.

• Lettuce Lactuca sativa · vegetable · start indoors · zones 1 to 9

  Lettuce germinates best when it is cool, so a bright windowsill beats a hot propagator. Sow a pinch every couple of weeks rather than a whole packet at once.

• Ginger Zingiber officinale · herb · plant bulbs · zones 9 to 13

  Choose a plump piece with visible buds and plant it just below the surface in dappled shade. It wants warmth, humidity and around nine months of patience.

• Sweet Potato Ipomoea batatas · vegetable · plant out · zones 8 to 13

  Plant rooted slips into ridged, warm soil rather than planting the tubers themselves. The ridges hold the heat and make lifting the crop far easier later on.

• Yardlong Bean Vigna unguiculata · climber · sow direct · zones 10 to 13

  It shrugs off heat that flattens ordinary beans. Give it a tall frame and pick the pods young, at around 40 centimeters, while they still snap.

• Flowering Crabapple Malus domestica · tree · plant out · zones 3 to 9

  Plant while the tree is still dormant and keep the graft union a good hand above the soil. Most apples need a second variety nearby before they will set a decent crop.

• Corn Cockle Agrostemma githago · flower · sow direct · zones 1 to 8

  An old cornfield annual with clear pink flowers on tall wiry stems. Sow it straight into poor open ground and thin it hard, because crowded plants lean over.

• Garden asparagus Asparagus officinalis · vegetable · plant out · zones 3 to 9

  Spread the crowns like a spider over a low ridge in a trench, then backfill gradually. Wait two full seasons before cutting a single spear and the bed will last twenty years.

• English lavender Lavandula angustifolia · shrub · plant out · zones 5 to 10

  Lavender dies of wet feet far more often than of cold. Plant it high, add grit to heavy soil, and never mulch it with anything that holds water.

• Wild Strawberry Fragaria vesca · fruit · plant out · zones 3 to 9

  Tiny fruit, intense flavor, and it keeps going all season rather than in one short rush. It also copes with part shade, which most strawberries will not.

• Pineapple Ananas comosus · fruit · plant out · zones 10 to 13

  Twist the crown off a ripe fruit, strip the lowest leaves and let it dry for a day before planting. It takes about two years, and the wait is genuinely worth it.

• Chinese hibiscus Hibiscus rosa-sinensis · shrub · plant out · zones 9 to 13

  Plant into rich, free draining soil in full sun and feed it through the growing season. Each flower lasts a day, but a settled plant opens new ones for months.

• Cilantro Coriandrum sativum · herb · sow direct · zones 6 to 13

  Coriander bolts the moment it is moved or stressed, so sow it straight into the ground. Sow little and often and keep it cool for the longest run of leaf.

• Poppy anemone Anemone coronaria · bulb · plant bulbs · zones 6 to 11

  Soak the hard little corms for a few hours before planting and it hardly matters which way up they go. Plant a batch now for flowers in about twelve weeks.

• Silver Birch Betula pendula · tree · plant out · zones 1 to 7

  One of the toughest trees there is, happy in thin soil and hard winters. Plant it while dormant and give it space, because the white bark looks best with light around it.

• Sweet Alyssum Lobularia maritima · flower · start indoors · zones 1 to 9

  A low sheet of honey scented flower that pulls in hoverflies all season. Surface sow it now and shear it back once in high summer for a second flush.

In flower in March

• African Violet Streptocarpus ionanthus

  Year round with proper care · purple, violet, white, pink

• Anthurium Anthurium andraeanum

  Year round under ideal conditions · red, pink, white, salmon

• Beach naupaka Scaevola taccada

  Year round in tropical climates · white

• Beggarticks Bidens alba

  Year round in warm climates · white, yellow

• Blue dicks Dipterostemon capitatus

  Late winter to mid spring · blue, violet, white

• Cannonball tree Couroupita guianensis

  Year round in tropical climates · pink, red, yellow

• Citrus

  Late winter to early spring · white

• Climbing Aloe Aloiampelos ciliaris

  Late winter to early spring · orange, red

• Common groundsel Senecio vulgaris

  Year round in mild climates · yellow

• Crown of Thorns Euphorbia milii

  Year round in warm climates · red, pink, yellow, white

• Dandelion Taraxacum officinale

  Early spring to late autumn · yellow

• Early crocus Crocus tommasinianus

  Late winter to early spring · lavender, purple, silver

• Fish poison tree Barringtonia asiatica

  Year round with peaks in spring and summer · white, pink

• Flame vine Pyrostegia venusta

  Late winter to early spring · orange, reddish orange

• Golden Wattle Acacia pycnantha

  Late winter to spring · yellow, gold

• Heath Erica

  Late winter to early spring · pink, white, purple

• Indian hawthorn Rhaphiolepis indica

  Late winter to mid spring · white, pink

• Jungle Geranium Ixora coccinea

  Year round in warm climates · red, orange, yellow

• Kaffir Lily Clivia miniata

  Late winter to spring · orange, yellow, red

• Laurustinus Viburnum tinus

  Late winter to mid spring · white, pink

• Lenten rose Helleborus orientalis

  Late winter to mid spring · white, pink, purple, green

• Loquat Eriobotrya japonica

  Autumn to early winter · white, pale pink

• Macadamia nut Macadamia integrifolia

  Late winter to spring · white, cream, pink

• Mango Mangifera indica

  Late winter to early spring · yellow, pink, white

• Mountain Aloe Aloe marlothii

  Mid winter to early spring · orange, red, yellow

• Papaya Carica papaya

  Year round in tropical climates · white, yellow

• Persian speedwell Veronica persica

  Early spring to late autumn · bright blue, white

• Prickly Aloe Aloe aculeata

  Mid winter to early spring · yellow, orange

• Red Maple Acer rubrum

  Late winter to early spring · red, yellow

• Sea hibiscus Talipariti tiliaceum

  Year round in tropical climates · yellow, red

• Skunk cabbage Symplocarpus foetidus

  Late winter to early spring · maroon, yellow, green

• Soap Aloe Aloe maculata

  Late winter to spring · orange, red, yellow

• Sodom Apple Calotropis procera

  Year round in warm climates · white, purple

• Spring Crocus Crocus vernus

  Late winter to early spring · purple, white, striped

• Sweet box Sarcococca confusa

  Mid winter to early spring · white, cream

• Sweet violet Viola odorata

  Late winter to mid spring · violet, white

• Trumpet tree Cecropia peltata

  Year round · green, white

• Turk's cap Malvaviscus arboreus

  Year round in warm climates · red

• Turkey berry Solanum torvum

  Year round in tropical climates · white

• Winter Heath Erica carnea

  Late winter to mid spring · pink, white, purple

• Acai palm Euterpe oleracea

  Year round in tropical climates · white, cream

• Acerola Malpighia emarginata

  Spring to fall · pink, white

• African oil palm Elaeis guineensis

  Year round in tropical climates · yellow, cream

• African violet Saintpaulia ionantha

  Spring to autumn · purple, violet, blue

• Amaryllis Hippeastrum reginae

  Late winter to early spring · red, white

• American elm Ulmus americana

  Early spring · green, brown

• Annual bluegrass Poa annua

  Early spring to late autumn · green, white

• Apricot Prunus armeniaca

  Early spring · white, pink

• Ashoka tree Saraca asoca

  Late winter to early spring · orange, red, yellow

• Bald cypress Taxodium distichum

  Early to mid spring · yellow, green

• Banana Musa × paradisiaca

  Year round in tropical climates · purple, yellow

• Basket willow Salix viminalis

  Early to mid spring · yellow, green

• Black poplar Populus nigra

  Early to mid spring · red, yellow

• Black willow Salix nigra

  Early to mid spring · yellow, green

• Box elder Acer negundo

  Early to mid spring · yellowish green

• Breadfruit Artocarpus altilis

  Year round in tropical climates · yellow, green

• Brittlebush Encelia farinosa

  Late winter to spring · yellow

• Broad Bean Vicia faba

  Late winter to late spring · white, black

• Cacao Theobroma cacao

  Year round in optimal conditions · white, pink

• Callery pear Pyrus calleryana

  Early spring · white

• Cape Aloe Aloe ferox

  Mid winter to early spring · orange, red, yellow

• Chenille plant Acalypha hispida

  Spring to autumn · red

• Cherry plum Prunus cerasifera

  Early spring · white, pale pink

• Chilean Blue Crocus Tecophilaea cyanocrocus

  Late winter to early spring · blue, white

• Chinese hibiscus Hibiscus rosa-sinensis

  Spring to autumn · red, pink, orange, yellow, white

• Coast Banksia Banksia integrifolia

  Throughout the year, peaking in autumn and winter. · pale yellow

• Coconut Palm Cocos nucifera

  Year round in tropical climates · yellow, cream

• Coltsfoot Tussilago farfara

  Early to mid spring · yellow

• Common Alder Alnus glutinosa

  Early to mid spring · yellow, brown

• Common Chickweed Stellaria media

  Early spring to late autumn · white

• Common Daisy Bellis perennis

  Early spring to mid summer · white, pink, red

• common grape hyacinth Muscari botryoides

  Early to mid spring · blue, white

• Common storksbill Erodium cicutarium

  Early spring to late summer · pink, lavender

• Cottonwood Populus

  Early spring · red, yellow, green

• Cupuacu Theobroma grandiflorum

  Mainly in the dry season (about July to December in the native range) · dark red, maroon

• Cutleaf toothwort Cardamine concatenata

  Early to mid spring · white, pink

• Dog's mercury Mercurialis perennis

  Early to mid spring · green, yellowish green

• Dutchman's breeches Dicentra cucullaria

  Early to mid spring · white, yellow

• Dwarf banana Musa acuminata 'Dwarf Cavendish'

  Year round in tropical climates · purple, yellow

• eared willow Salix aurita

  Early to mid spring · yellow, gray

• Eastern Cottonwood Populus deltoides

  Early spring · red, yellow

• European aspen Populus tremula

  Early to mid spring · grey, red

• Field elm Ulmus minor

  Early spring · green, red

• Finger lime Citrus australasica

  Late winter to early spring · white, pale pink

• Flamingo Flower Anthurium

  Year round under ideal conditions · red, pink, white, green

• Florist's cyclamen Cyclamen persicum

  Late autumn to early spring · pink, white, red, purple

• Flowering Maple Abutilon × hybridum

  Spring to late autumn · red, orange, yellow, pink, white

• Fragrant sumac Rhus aromatica

  Early to mid spring · yellow

• Frankincense Boswellia sacra

  Late winter to early spring · white, yellow

• Fukien Tea Carmona retusa

  Intermittent throughout the year · white

• goat willow Salix caprea

  Early to mid spring · silver, yellow

• Grey alder Alnus incana

  Early to mid spring · brown, yellow

• Grey sallow Salix atrocinerea

  Early to mid spring · yellow, grey

• Grey willow Salix cinerea

  Early to mid spring · yellow, gray

• henbit Lamium amplexicaule

  Early spring to late autumn · pink, purple

• Hepatica Hepatica nobilis

  Early to mid spring · blue, purple, white, pink

• Hot lips Palicourea elata

  Winter to spring · white, yellow

• Hyacinth Hyacinthus orientalis

  Early to mid spring · blue, purple, white, pink, yellow

• Japanese Camellia Camellia japonica

  Late winter to mid spring · white, pink, red, variegated

• Kalanchoe

  Late winter to spring · red, pink, orange, yellow, white

• Key lime Citrus aurantiifolia

  Spring to summer · white

• Lemon Citrus limon

  Intermittent throughout the year · white, purple

• Lungwort Pulmonaria officinalis

  Early to mid spring · pink, blue, purple

• Lychee Litchi chinensis

  Late winter to early spring · yellowish green

• Monkey face orchid Dracula simia

  Year round · brown, orange, yellow

• Moth orchid Phalaenopsis amabilis

  Winter to spring · white, yellow

• Moth Orchid Phalaenopsis

  Late winter to spring · white, pink, purple, yellow, striped

• Natal Plum Carissa macrocarpa

  Spring to autumn · white

• Neem Azadirachta indica

  Late winter to early spring · white, pale yellow

• Netted iris Iris reticulata

  Late winter to early spring · purple, blue, yellow, white

• Nipa palm Nypa fruticans

  Year round in tropical climates · yellow, brown

• Northern spicebush Lindera benzoin

  Early to mid spring · yellow

• Opposite-leaved golden-saxifrage Chrysosplenium oppositifolium

  Early to mid spring · yellow-green

• Orange Jessamine Murraya paniculata

  Intermittent throughout the year · white

• Pasque flower Pulsatilla vulgaris

  Early to mid spring · purple, violet, red, white

• Peach tree Prunus persica

  Early to mid spring · pink

• Pencil flower Acalypha sp.

  Spring to autumn · red, pink, white

• Portia tree Thespesia populnea

  Year round in tropical climates · yellow, maroon

• Primrose Primula vulgaris

  Early to mid spring · pale yellow

• Purple deadnettle Lamium purpureum

  Early spring to late autumn · purple, pink

• Purple Pixie Loropetalum Loropetalum chinense

  Early to mid spring · pink, fuchsia, white

• Quaking Aspen Populus tremuloides

  Early spring · green, gray

• Red mangrove Rhizophora mangle

  Throughout the year · pale yellow, white

• Sandalwood Santalum album

  Throughout the year · yellow, red, purple

• Sassafras Sassafras albidum

  Early to mid spring · yellow, green

• Saucer magnolia Magnolia soulangeana

  Early to mid spring · pink, white, purple

• Sea Buckthorn Hippophae rhamnoides

  Early to mid spring · yellow, brown

• Sea purslane Sesuvium portulacastrum

  Spring to fall · pink, purple

• Shepherd's purse Capsella bursa-pastoris

  Early spring to late autumn · white

• Shiny bush Peperomia pellucida

  Year round in tropical conditions · white, green

• Siberian elm Ulmus pumila

  Early spring · green, brown

• Siberian Squill Othocallis siberica

  Early to mid spring · blue

• Sims azalea Rhododendron simsii

  Late winter to mid spring · pink, red, white, purple

• Singapore graveyard flower Plumeria obtusa

  Spring to fall · white, yellow

• Snowdrop Galanthus nivalis

  Late winter to early spring · white

• Soursop Annona muricata

  Throughout the year · yellow, green

• Star magnolia Magnolia stellata

  Early to mid spring · white, pink

• Starfruit Averrhoa carambola

  Intermittent throughout the year · pink, lavender

• Straggler daisy Calyptocarpus vialis

  Spring to fall · yellow

• String of bananas Senecio radicans

  Late winter to early spring · white, yellow

• Sugarbush Protea

  Late winter to early summer · pink, white, red, cream

• Sun spurge Euphorbia helioscopia

  Late winter to mid summer · yellow, greenish yellow

• Tamanu Calophyllum inophyllum

  Intermittent throughout the year · white

• Torch Ginger Etlingera elatior

  Spring to late summer · red, pink

• Voodoo lily Sauromatum venosum

  Early to mid spring · maroon, purple, green

• Weeping forsythia Forsythia suspensa

  Early to mid spring · yellow

• Weeping Willow Salix babylonica

  Early spring · yellow, green

• White willow Salix alba

  Early to mid spring · yellow, green

• Willow Salix

  Early to mid spring · yellow, green, white

• Winter Daphne Daphne odora

  Late winter to early spring · pink, white

• Wych elm Ulmus glabra

  Early spring · green, brown

• Yellow Bells Tecoma stans

  Spring to fall · yellow

In fruit in March

• Brazil nut Bertholletia excelsa

  Year round, peaking in rainy season

• Papaya Carica papaya

  Year round · culinary fruit

• Star apple Chrysophyllum cainito

  Late winter to spring · edible fruit

• Trumpet tree Cecropia peltata

  Year round

• Turkey berry Solanum torvum

  Year round · culinary

• Acai palm Euterpe oleracea

  Year round · culinary fruit pulp

• Acerola Malpighia emarginata

  Year round in warm climates · fruit production

• African oil palm Elaeis guineensis

  Year round

• Banana Musa × paradisiaca

  Year round · culinary

• Beach naupaka Scaevola taccada

  Year round

• Beggarticks Bidens alba

  year round

• Breadfruit Artocarpus altilis

  Year round · culinary staple

• Cacao Theobroma cacao

  Year round · culinary

• Cannonball tree Couroupita guianensis

  Year round

• Coco de mer Lodoicea maldivica

  Year round

• Coconut Palm Cocos nucifera

  Year round

• Cupuacu Theobroma grandiflorum

  Year round with peaks · culinary fruit pulp

• Dwarf banana Musa acuminata 'Dwarf Cavendish'

  Year round · culinary

• Fish poison tree Barringtonia asiatica

  Year round

• Key lime Citrus aurantiifolia

  Year round in tropical climates · culinary flavoring

• Lemon Citrus limon

  Year round · culinary flavoring

• Nipa palm Nypa fruticans

  Year round

• Nutmeg Myristica fragrans

  Year round · culinary spice

• Portia tree Thespesia populnea

  Year round

• Red mangrove Rhizophora mangle

  Year round

• Screw pine Pandanus tectorius

  Year round · edible fruit

• Sea almond Terminalia catappa

  Year round in tropics · edible nuts

• Sea hibiscus Talipariti tiliaceum

  Year round · culinary flower

• Shepherd's purse Capsella bursa-pastoris

  Spring to autumn · culinary greens

• Snake fruit Salacca zalacca

  Year round in tropical climates · culinary fruit

• Sodom Apple Calotropis procera

  Year round

• Soursop Annona muricata

  Year round in tropical climates · culinary fruit

• Starfruit Averrhoa carambola

  Year round in tropical climates · culinary fruit

• Tamanu Calophyllum inophyllum

  Year round

• Velvet tree Miconia calvescens

  Year round

• Winterberry Ilex verticillata

  Autumn to winter

• Wintergreen Gaultheria procumbens

  Autumn to winter

March south of the equator

The same month, six months on in the seasons: what to plant in March in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and the southern half of South America.

• Ail Allium sativum · vegetable · plant bulbs · zones 3 to 9

  Garlic needs a cold spell in the ground before it will split into cloves, so plant it before the freeze. Set each clove pointed end up, about twice its own depth.

• Kale Brassica oleracea · vegetable · sow direct · zones 1 to 9

  Frost genuinely improves it, turning the starch in the leaves to sugar. Pick from the bottom up and leave the growing tip alone and one plant crops all winter.

• Forget-me-not Myosotis sylvatica · flower · sow direct · zones 1 to 9

  Scatter it now under shrubs and around bulbs for a blue haze next spring. It self seeds happily, so one sowing is usually the only one you ever need.

• Wild Rocket Diplotaxis tenuifolia · vegetable · sow direct · zones 1 to 10

  Slower and more perennial than salad rocket, with a deeper flavor and finer leaf. Sown now it crops through the cold months and comes back for a second year.

• Daffodil Narcissus pseudonarcissus · bulb · plant bulbs · zones 3 to 9

  Plant the bulbs three times their own depth, and plant them early, because daffodils root before the cold sets in. Leave the leaves to die back naturally afterwards.

• Japanese Camellia Camellia japonica · shrub · plant out · zones 6 to 10

  Plant it in acid soil out of early morning sun, because thawing too fast is what ruins the flowers. Keep it watered in late summer, when next year buds are being set.

• Tomatillo Physalis philadelphica · vegetable · sow direct · zones 9 to 13

  You need at least two plants, because a lone tomatillo sets almost no fruit. Pick them when the husk splits and the fruit fills it completely.

• Cacao Theobroma cacao · tree · plant out · zones 11 to 13

  It grows under taller trees, so plant it into real shade with shelter from wind. The pods grow straight out of the trunk, and the first crop takes about four years.

• Sesame Sesamum indicum · herb · sow direct · zones 9 to 13

  Sesame wants heat, sun and soil that drains sharply, and it hates wet feet. Cut the whole plant when the lowest pods start to split, then dry it upside down.

• Tulip Tulipa gesneriana · bulb · plant bulbs · zones 3 to 8

  Tulips go in later than other bulbs, because cold soil helps them avoid disease. Plant them deep, around 20 centimeters, and they are far more likely to return.

• Chinese wisteria Wisteria sinensis · climber · plant out · zones 5 to 9

  Buy a grafted plant in flower, because a seedling can take twenty years to bloom. Give it a structure that can hold real weight, since an old vine is genuinely heavy.

• Sage Salvia officinalis · herb · plant out · zones 4 to 10

  Plant it now in a warm dry spot so it settles before the wet arrives. Trim it lightly each spring, but never cut back into old bare wood, because it will not resprout.

• Michaelmas Daisy Symphyotrichum novi-belgii · flower · plant out · zones 3 to 8

  One of the last things standing when everything else has finished, and butterflies find it every time. Divide the clump every third year or the middle dies out.

• Sweet Cherry Prunus avium · tree · plant out · zones 3 to 8

  Plant now while the soil is still warm and choose a dwarfing rootstock unless you have space. Netting is not optional, because birds will find the fruit before you do.

• Laurustinus Viburnum tinus · shrub · plant out · zones 7 to 10

  Evergreen, quietly tough and it flowers right through the cold months. It makes a good informal hedge and copes with shade and coastal wind.

• Soursop Annona muricata · tree · plant out · zones 10 to 13

  A small tree that fits an ordinary garden and fruits within three or four years. It needs warmth and humidity and will not forgive even a light frost.

• Black Pepper Piper nigrum · climber · plant out · zones 10 to 13

  A vine that wants a rough barked tree or post to cling to and shade for its roots. Plant it now and expect the first spikes of peppercorns in about three years.

• Crimson Clover Trifolium incarnatum · flower · sow direct · zones 1 to 9

  Sow it over any empty bed to hold the soil and fix nitrogen through winter. Let it flower for the bees in spring, then cut it down before it sets seed.

• Snowdrop Galanthus nivalis · bulb · plant bulbs · zones 3 to 8

  Dry snowdrop bulbs establish poorly, so plant them early and deep and keep them damp. Better still, move them as growing clumps once they have flowered.

• Blue Oat Grass Helictotrichon sempervirens · grass · plant out · zones 4 to 9

  An evergreen blue hedgehog of a grass that keeps its shape all winter. Give it sharp drainage and full sun, and comb it through rather than cutting it back.

• Sweet Rocket Hesperis matronalis · flower · sow direct · zones 1 to 9

  An old cottage garden biennial whose scent arrives in the evening. Sow it now in a half shady spot and it will seed itself around gently from then on.

• Rowan Sorbus aucuparia · tree · plant out · zones 1 to 7

  Small enough for any garden, hardy to the far north, and loaded with berries that birds strip in weeks. Plant it now so the roots move while the soil is still warm.

• Nutmeg Myristica fragrans · tree · plant out · zones 11 to 13

  It wants deep shade when young, constant humidity and soil that never dries out. Trees are male or female, so plant several and keep the ones that fruit.

Other months

• January
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