Although it is the start of Autumn it rarely starts to cool down until Mid-Late autumn here in the subtropics. Often if you go early on some of your cool season crops you may lose them as Summer try to hold on with all it's might. Proceed with caution. We still generally see a fair bit of rainfall in March, which is good as the winter is dry.
Prepare beds
If you haven't already done so from last month, prepare you beds for planting. Top up with fresh compost and manure to give your babies a great start.
Plant your Garlic
We plant our garlic on the first full moon after equinox (which in 2021 that falls on the 28th of March). You can find our process of planting garlic and what are the best varieties to grow in the subtropics here. Make sure your bed is well prepped with loads of compost and manure before planting out. They are heavy feeders so keep water and nutrients up to them.
Plant out autumn seedlings
If you've raised your seedlings last month, and they're well established it's time to plant them out. Just be cautious of that last hurrah of Summer and give them a bit of love. I'd recommend planting extra 'backup' seeds just in case. Timing is super important for things like cauliflower and broccoli here in the subtropics, so if you lose some you may miss your opportunity to plant again later.
Bugs and pests and other nasties to look out for
- Aphids
- Fruit fly
- Caterpillars (Army worms, Cabbage Moth, Cluster, Cutworms*)
- Grasshoppers
*Cutworms hang out in the soil and generally you won't see them unless you dig a bit, or come out at night when they are active. They literally cut baby seedlings off - you may blame possums or rats. Check for these guys before you blame our furry 'friends'.
What to plant in March
For our full lists of things to plant head over here. You can also sign up to our list to get a chart of things to plant throughout the year.
What will you be planting this month? Leave a comment below!
