March · Early autumn
What to sow in March in Cape Town
24 crops are in their window this month in Cape Town — timed to your local frost dates.
Last frostRare
First frostRare
Frost-free daysNearly all year
March averages14°–31°C
Vegetables
20 in season
Amaranth Greens
Direct sow · pinch tips often for a steady flush of tender greens
Armenian Cucumber
Direct sow · wait for warm soil; trellis for straighter fruit
Bitter Melon
Start indoors · harvest young and green — riper fruit turns bitter
Bush Beans
Direct sow · sow after soil warms; skip cold, wet spring soil
Cucumbers
Direct sow · trellis vines to save space and straighten fruit
Herbs
3 in season
Basil
Start indoors · loves heat, don't rush it outside before frost
Epazote
Direct sow · cut flower heads early or it self-seeds everywhere
Fenugreek (Methi)
Direct sow · ready to cut in under a month; sow again for more
Fruit
1 in season
Ground Cherries
Transplant seedlings · let ripe fruit drop; husks turn tan and papery