Your complete month-by-month guide to what to plant, prune, and harvest across every Australian climate zone.
Shop Gardening Books →Australia's gardening calendar is unlike any other country's. We span tropical monsoon zones in the far north, temperate cool climates in Tasmania and the alpine regions, and everything in between. A planting guide written for the UK or even the USA is largely useless here — our seasons are reversed, our climate zones are extreme, and our soils present unique challenges including high alkalinity, poor drainage, and low organic matter in many regions.
This guide is written specifically for Australian conditions. Whether you're growing in a Melbourne backyard, a Darwin wet-dry cycle, or a Brisbane subtropical plot, you'll find practical month-by-month guidance calibrated to your climate. Pair this calendar with a soil thermometer and your garden's performance will improve dramatically — seeds germinate better, fewer seedlings fail, and your harvests become more predictable.
The biggest mistake Australian gardeners make is following Northern Hemisphere content online. When an American YouTube video says "plant your tomatoes in March," they mean after their winter ends. In Australia, that would be autumn — exactly wrong for most of us. Always verify against Australian sources.
Australia's five main climate zones each follow a different gardening rhythm. Find your zone before planting anything.
| Zone | Key Locations | Best Planting Window |
|---|---|---|
| Cool Temperate | Hobart, ACT, Alpine regions | Sep–Nov (spring), Mar–May (cool crops) |
| Temperate | Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Sydney | Aug–Dec (warm crops), Mar–Jun (cool crops) |
| Sub-Tropical | Brisbane, Coffs Harbour, Newcastle | Year-round with seasonal variety |
| Tropical | Darwin, Cairns, Townsville | Apr–Aug (dry season) for most vegetables |
| Arid/Semi-Arid | Alice Springs, Broken Hill, Kalgoorlie | Mar–May and Aug–Oct to avoid extremes |
Summer crops are finishing up. Start sowing broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage seedlings in trays. Sow beetroot and carrot seeds directly into prepared beds. In tropical zones (Darwin, Cairns), this is your dry-season planting window — tomatoes, capsicums, and beans all go in now. In southern Australia, harvest the last of your summer tomatoes and process them into sauce or passata before the cooler nights set in.
It's also the ideal time to plant strawberry runners for a winter and spring harvest. Buy certified disease-free runners and plant in well-draining beds enriched with compost. Strawberries planted in March will reward you with a generous harvest from September through December.
Shop Autumn Seeds →April is the single most important planting month for garlic across southern Australia. Garlic requires a vernalisation period — a cold spell that triggers the bulb to divide properly. Without it, you get single-clove "rounds" with no flavour. Plant cloves pointy-end up, 5cm deep, 15–20cm apart in well-draining soil amended with compost and blood and bone. Water in well and mulch generously with straw.
Also sow broad beans, peas, and snow peas directly in April — they're frost-hardy once established and will produce prolifically through winter and spring. Spinach, silverbeet, and kale seedlings transplant well now. This is also your last chance to divide and replant bulb garlic from previous seasons.
A quality trowel, fork, and dibber make bulb planting much easier. Look for stainless steel heads with ergonomic handles.
Shop on Amazon AU →Last chance for most cool-season crops before winter slows growth dramatically. Sow lettuce, rocket, Asian greens, and radish for harvests through winter. Plant bare-root fruit trees and roses — they're dormant now and transplant easily. Prune summer-fruiting raspberries after harvest, cutting old canes to ground level.
May is the critical time to add compost and organic matter to beds that will rest over winter. Spread 5–10cm of compost across the surface and let earthworms incorporate it naturally. This practice, repeated each autumn, transforms mediocre soil into the rich, spongy growing medium that makes gardening effortless.
Composting Gear →Growth slows significantly in southern states, but there's still plenty to do. Prune deciduous fruit trees while fully dormant — remove crossing branches, water shoots, and anything damaged. A clean, open structure improves fruiting and air circulation, reducing disease pressure through the growing season.
Sow snow peas, leeks, and spring onions in sheltered spots. In Queensland and WA, continue planting leafy greens and root vegetables year-round — winter is actually their prime growing season. Use this slower month to clean and oil your tools, order seeds for spring, and plan next season's crop rotations on paper.
Quality propagation trays with individual cells give seedlings the best start. Reusable ones pay for themselves after a season.
Shop on Amazon AU →July is seed-starting month. Begin tomato, capsicum, chilli, and eggplant seeds indoors in warm conditions — they need 6–8 weeks as seedlings before transplanting in September. A heat mat or warm windowsill gives germination rates a significant boost, especially for capsicums which are notoriously slow in cool conditions.
Plant asparagus crowns in July for harvests starting in 2–3 years — asparagus is a long-term investment that produces for 20+ years. Apply lime to acidic soils now so it has time to work before spring planting. Check soil pH with a simple test kit; most vegetables prefer a pH of 6.0–7.0.
Seed Starting Kits →August is when the gardening year truly begins again. Sow tomato, zucchini, and cucumber seeds in warm trays indoors for transplanting in October. Prepare beds thoroughly with compost and complete fertiliser. Plant potatoes — many gardeners follow the traditional advice to plant on or around the August full moon for best results.
The soil is still cold in August, so use a soil thermometer before planting anything directly. Most vegetable seeds need soil temperatures of at least 12–15°C for reliable germination. If your soil is still below 10°C, wait another two to three weeks — patience pays off with stronger, faster-growing plants.
Raised beds warm up faster in spring, drain better, and make it easy to create ideal soil conditions from scratch.
Shop on Amazon AU →Transplant tomato, capsicum, and eggplant seedlings once all frost risk has passed — typically mid-to-late September for Melbourne and Adelaide, earlier for Sydney and Perth. Direct sow zucchini, cucumber, and bean seeds as soil temperatures rise past 15°C. This is also prime time for planting annual flowers that will attract beneficial insects to your vegetable garden all summer.
The garden is in full swing. Keep up with watering as temperatures rise — deep, infrequent watering is better than shallow daily irrigation. Mulch every bed to 5–8cm depth to retain moisture and suppress weeds. Succession-sow lettuce, radish, and beans every three weeks for continuous harvests. Stake tomatoes early and train them as they grow.
Premium Potting Mix →Shade cloth over heat-sensitive crops like lettuce and spinach extends their season by several weeks. Harvest frequently to keep plants productive. Water at the base, never overhead, to reduce fungal disease risk. February is the time to start thinking about autumn again — order garlic seed and cool-season seeds so you're ready the moment temperatures drop.
Garden Shade Cloth →Quality secateurs, a hand trowel, garden fork, and a good pair of gloves handle 90% of home gardening tasks. Buy well-made tools once rather than replacing cheap ones every two years. Felco secateurs are the gold standard in Australia and last decades with basic maintenance.
Shop Tool Sets →A drip irrigation system saves water and dramatically reduces your time in the garden. Essential in Australian conditions where water restrictions are common. Most kits connect to a standard garden tap and can be set up in an afternoon. The water savings over a season typically exceed the cost of the system.
Shop Irrigation →Australian soils are notoriously low in phosphorus and organic matter. A complete fertiliser with slow-release nitrogen forms the foundation, supplemented with liquid feeds during active growth. Blood and bone, pelletised chicken manure, and seaweed concentrate are the three most useful organic options for home gardeners.
Shop Fertilisers →For containers and raised beds, always use a premium potting mix marked with the Australian Standard symbol (red or black tick). Budget mixes break down in one season and leave your plants struggling. Good mix makes good gardens.
Shop on Amazon AU →Australia's most trusted gardening reference, updated annually. Month-by-month calendars for every state and territory, with pest and disease identification and treatment guides. Every Australian garden shed should have one.
View on Amazon →Clive Blazey's essential guide from the Diggers Club. Covers all climate zones with specific planting times, variety selection, and organic growing methods. Practical and beautifully photographed.
View on Amazon →Jackie French's approachable guide to growing food in Australian conditions. Covers companion planting, water-wise techniques, and managing the unique challenges of Australian pest species like possums and birds.
View on Amazon →