One almanac per growing zone, published every month. Pick your zone and month below for the full picture: what to plant now, what should be coming ready to harvest, the moon planting calendar, sunrise and sunset for your zone, and the climate averages you can expect from Bureau of Meteorology records.

Past months are free for everyone, so you can read back and judge the almanac for yourself. The current month and everything ahead of it is for GardenBuddy members.

March 2026 Farmers Almanac

Planting, moon and climate guide for the Cool Temperate zone

Updated 14 Aug 2026

2026 ENSO Update: The 2025–26 La Niña was weakening through March and ended in early 2026. Residual La Niña moisture continued to support above-average rainfall in some eastern areas during March, but conditions were transitioning toward ENSO-neutral. Rainfall figures below reflect a weakening La Niña influence.

Climate Overview

Zone	Max	Min	Rainfall	Conditions
Cool Temperate	20-24°C	11-14°C	50-70mm	Beautiful autumn. Cool nights. First frost possible late month in valleys.

Astronomical Events

Daylight Saving Note: Daylight saving ends on the first Sunday in April (April 5, 2026). Clocks go back one hour at 3am. Times above are shown in current time zones.

Autumn Equinox – March 21: The Autumn Equinox lands on March 21 at 1:45am AEDT, one of the four major turning points of the solar year.

Total Lunar Eclipse – March 3, 2026: A total lunar eclipse peaks at 10:33pm AEDT. Whether you get a view depends on moonrise and cloud, check closer to the date.

Moon Phases

🌕

Full Moon

Mar 3

🌗

Last Quarter

Mar 11

🌑

New Moon

Mar 19

🌓

First Quarter

Mar 26

Sunrise / Sunset

The equinox (March 21 AEST) brings roughly equal day and night. Here’s how daylight changes across the month:

City	1st	15th	Last	Daylight change
Melbourne (AEDT)	7:04am – 8:00pm (12h 56m)	7:17am – 7:39pm (12h 21m)	7:32am – 7:15pm (11h 42m)	-74 min

Trend: Significant shortening – Melbourne loses over an hour. Autumn is well underway.

Planting Guide

Cool Temperate Zone

Planting windows from the GardenBuddy zone planting master (101 crops tracked for this zone). The harvest list is calculated: crops whose typical days to maturity land this month when planted inside their zone window.

Plant Now

Amaranth (transplant)
Basil (transplant)
Beetroot (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
Broad Beans (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
Broccoli (seed tray, transplant)
Cabbage (seed tray, transplant)
Carrot (sow direct)
Chinese cabbage (transplant)
Chives (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
Collards (seed tray, transplant)
Coriander (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
Daikon (sow direct)
Dill (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
Endive (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
Fennel (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
Garlic (sow direct)
Horseradish (sow direct)
Kale (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
Kohlrabi (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
Leeks (sow direct, transplant)
Lettuce (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
Luffa (transplant)
Mizuna (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
Mustard greens (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
NZ Spinach (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
Pak Choy (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
Parsley (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
Peas (seed tray)
Radish (sow direct)
Rocket (sow direct)
Rutabaga (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
Salsify (sow direct)
Silverbeet (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
Snow Peas (seed tray)
Spinach (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
Spring Onion (seed tray, transplant)
Turnip (sow direct)

Harvest

Amaranth
Asparagus Pea
Basil
Beans – climbing
Beans – dwarf
Beetroot
Broccoli
Cabbage
Cape Gooseberry
Carrot
Celeriac
Chinese cabbage
Chives
Collards
Coriander
Cucumber
Dill
Eggplant
Endive
Fennel
Fig
French tarragon
Horseradish
Jerusalem Artichokes
Kale
Kohlrabi
Leeks
Lemon Balm
Lettuce
Luffa
Mint
Mustard greens
NZ Spinach
Oregano
Parsley
Parsnip
Persimmon
Pumpkin
Radish
Rockmelon
Salsify
Silverbeet
Spring Onion
Squash
Sunflower
Sweet Corn
Sweet Potato
Tomatillo
Tomato
Turnip
Watermelon
Zucchini

Moon Planting Calendar

The lunar eclipse on March 3 adds extra significance for traditional moon planters. Many believe eclipse energy amplifies planting success.

Phase	Dates	Best for
Waxing (First Quarter to Full)	Mar 1-3	Fruiting crops – tomatoes, beans, cucurbits. Strongest above-ground planting energy.
Waning (Full to Last Quarter)	Mar 3-11	Root vegetables, garlic, onions, bulbs. Pruning.
Waning (Last Quarter to New)	Mar 11-19	Soil preparation, composting, pest control. Rest period.
Waxing (New to First Quarter)	Mar 19-26	Leafy greens and herbs. Sow above-ground crops that fruit outside the plant.
Waxing (First Quarter to Full)	Mar 26-31	Fruiting crops – tomatoes, beans, cucurbits. Strongest above-ground planting energy.

Livestock Guide

Autumn is joining season for most stock. Conditions are mending after summer and it’s time to get animals in shape for the ram or bull.

Cattle

Autumn joining begins
Bulls in with cows
Condition improving with cooler weather
Parasite treatment
Wean late calves

Sheep & Goats

Pre-joining preparation
Flushing begins
Condition assessment
Ram/buck soundness testing
Joining commences late month

Poultry

Egg production improving
Moult finishing in older birds
Coop deep clean
Breeding program planning

Bees

Autumn honey harvest
Check winter stores
Mite treatment window
Reduce entrances if robbing occurs

Self-Sufficiency Focus

Water Management

Tank levels should be healthy after the wet season in eastern zones. Mediterranean and arid zones are waiting for the autumn break – first significant rain often comes late March to early April. If you’re relying on rainwater, now’s the time to check your collection systems before winter.

Food Preservation

Apple and pear season is here. These store well, but if you’ve got a glut, think about bottling, drying, or cider making. Olive harvest starts in Mediterranean zones – if you’ve got a tree, get them processed promptly.

Energy Planning

The shoulder season is here – minimal heating or cooling needed for most. This is the cheapest energy month of the year. Solar output is still strong but declining. Good time for system maintenance and battery checks before winter.

Priority harvest Apples, pears, quinces

Starting Olive processing (Mediterranean)

Excellent drying conditions All zones

Key Takeaways

Watch the eclipse: March 3 – don’t miss the total lunar eclipse. Grab a chair, settle in around 9:30pm.
Plant garlic: This is the month. Get it in the ground. Your future self will thank you.
Autumn planting bonanza: Nearly everything for cool season can go in now.
Breeding season: Livestock breeding kicks off – get animals in condition.
Equinox energy: March 21 (AEST) is a major cycle date – watch markets and make the most of planting.
Order bare root trees: Fruit tree planting season approaches – order now.

Methodology: Climate figures for the Cool Temperate zone are Bureau of Meteorology 30 year averages. Astronomical times are computed with Skyfield and the NASA JPL DE421 ephemeris for Melbourne (Melbourne time). Planting and harvest windows come from the GardenBuddy zone planting master.