The short version: In temperate and cool gardens, every herb in this guide can be sown in October, and basil leads the list. Sow basil into soil of at least 18°C and plant it out once nights stay above 10°C: October in Sydney and Alice Springs, early November in Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth, December in cool districts. Where spring stays mild, sow coriander and dill in small pinches every two to three weeks with afternoon shade, because longer, hotter days push them to flower. October also suits starting thyme, oregano and chives.
By October the late-winter coriander has usually started to stretch, and the basil seedlings on the windowsill look ready for the garden well before the garden is ready for them.
So check the overnight minimum before basil goes out, and give the next row of coriander a cooler spot.
Basil: wait for warm nights, not the date
Basil goes out when nights stay above 10°C. The seed needs soil of at least 18°C to come up, and studies of potted and harvested sweet basil have found that cold below about 12°C can wilt and discolour the leaves and dull their aroma. Cold-stressed plants tend to stall rather than grow, so waiting a week for warmer nights costs little.
- Sow 2 to 6 mm deep in trays indoors, or direct into warm beds.
- Watch the forecast minimums, not the daytime highs.
- Harden seedlings off for at least a week.
- Plant 20 to 30 cm apart with at least 6 hours of sun.
In cool and alpine gardens October basil is still a gamble: sow indoors and keep seedlings under cover until December, or January in Ballarat. Our basil growing guide has every zone's timing.
Coriander and dill: sow a little, sow often, shade the afternoon
Coriander and dill both run to flower as days lengthen and the heat builds, and dry soil or a disturbed root hurries them along. A midsummer coriander sowing can set seed within four to six weeks, so expect a shorter run from October than from autumn.
- Sow where they will grow. Both herbs make a taproot and resent being moved, so sow direct into the bed or the final pot: coriander 6 to 10 mm deep, thinned to 15 to 20 cm, and dill 2 to 6 mm deep, thinned to 20 to 30 cm.
- Sow a pinch every two to three weeks, so a new row comes on as the last one flowers.
- Give them afternoon shade, such as the east side of a row of tomatoes, or a pot you can move.
- Keep the soil evenly moist under a light mulch.
- Choose slower types. Coriander 'Calypso' and 'Santo' are slower to bolt than standard coriander, and dill 'Dukat' is leafy and later to flower.
When a plant flowers anyway, leave it a while: the flowers draw hoverflies and lacewings, green coriander seed is a spice in its own right, and dill heads go into pickles. Our coriander guide and dill guide cover each zone's window.
Perennial herbs worth starting from seed in spring
A spring sowing gives a perennial a whole warm season to root before winter. Most have fine seed, so raise them in trays.
- Thyme: press the seed onto the surface at 18 to 21°C. Light picking starts at 12 to 16 weeks. See the thyme guide.
- Oregano: surface sow at about 20°C. Seed-raised plants vary in flavour, so taste them and keep the best.
- Chives: sow a pinch 5 mm deep per clump and cut from 8 to 12 weeks.
- Tarragon: seed gives Russian or Mexican tarragon. French tarragon does not set viable seed and grows from cuttings or division. See the tarragon guide.
- English lavender: surface sow on moist mix, chill the pot in the fridge for 2 to 4 weeks, then keep it bright at about 21°C. Expect flowers in its second summer.
- Mint: surface sow into a 30 cm pot, because its runners take over a bed.
- Sorrel: sharp, lemony leaves for years. Sorrel seed cannot be sent to Western Australia.
Harvesting to keep plants coming through summer
Regular picking keeps a leafy herb leafy and branching.
- Basil: at 15 to 25 cm, nip the main stem above the second leaf pair, then cut stem tips above a leaf pair about every two weeks. Leave at least half the plant, and cut a budding stem at least four leaf pairs below the spike. See pinching basil to stop it flowering.
- Parsley: take outer stems at the base.
- Chives: cut one section of the clump at a time, and pinch out flowers for more leaf.
- Coriander and dill: pick young outer stems and shoot tips often, before the plant stretches.
- Thyme and oregano: pick lightly in the first season, then trim by about a third after flowering.
Water the soil in the morning, not the leaves, and mulch as the heat arrives. A half-strength fish and seaweed feed each fortnight suits basil; thyme, oregano and lavender do better lean.
Herbs to sow in October, zone by zone
These lists cover the everyday kitchen herbs; the What to Sow Now page has the longer list for each zone. The six zones are broad groupings, so if you garden between two, lean on local cues such as your usual last frost.
Tropical
Darwin in the Northern Territory, Cairns and Townsville in Queensland, Broome in Western Australia. October is the build-up, and basil is the everyday herb that suits it. Grow it in pots that can move under cover when the rain arrives; in trials, Thai basil has shown fewer downy mildew symptoms than sweet basil. Two more herbs suit the build-up: lemongrass, sown so plants go out as the wet season rains begin, and culantro, a heat-loving coriander stand-in that wants shade and moist soil. Coriander, dill and parsley wait for April.
Subtropical
Brisbane and south-east Queensland, northern New South Wales. Sow basil, chives, mint, shiso, tarragon and thyme. October is the last month for thyme and chives, so they root before the humid summer. Mexican tarragon copes with damp heat better than Russian. Coriander and dill wait until March.
Arid and semi-arid
Alice Springs in the Northern Territory, Broken Hill in New South Wales, Mildura in Victoria, Kalgoorlie in Western Australia. Sow basil, chamomile, chives, lavender, oregano, shiso and sorrel. October closes the spring window for chives, chamomile and oregano. Mulch and give afternoon shade as heat builds. Sorrel seed cannot be sent to Western Australia.
Temperate
Sydney and the New South Wales coast, Melbourne and Geelong in Victoria. Every herb in this guide can be sown. October is the last spring month for coriander and thyme. Around Melbourne, raise basil and shiso under cover until Melbourne Cup weekend.
Mediterranean
Perth and southern Western Australia, Adelaide in South Australia. Sow chamomile, chives, dill, lavender, mint, oregano, parsley, shiso, sorrel, tarragon and thyme. Sorrel seed cannot be sent to Western Australia. October is the last month for thyme, chamomile and sorrel before the dry heat. Raise basil under cover and plant it out around Melbourne Cup weekend. Perth and Adelaide gardens can sow coriander in pinches with afternoon shade.
Cool and alpine
Tasmania, Canberra in the ACT, Ballarat in Victoria, Orange and Armidale in New South Wales, Stanthorpe in Queensland. Every herb in this guide can be sown here too. Sow chives, coriander, dill and parsley direct once the bed warms, and raise thyme, oregano, tarragon and mint under cover to plant out after the last frost. Start basil and shiso indoors.
Frequently asked questions
Is October too late to sow coriander?
In temperate, Mediterranean and cool gardens, no, though the picking run is shorter. Choose a slow-bolting type, sow a pinch every two to three weeks and give it afternoon shade. In subtropical and arid gardens, wait for autumn.
When can I plant basil outside?
Once nights stay above 10°C. That is usually September in Brisbane, October in Sydney and Alice Springs, early November in Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth and Mildura, and December or January in cool districts.
Why is my parsley taking so long to come up?
Parsley often takes 2 to 5 weeks to appear. Soak untreated seed overnight and keep the surface damp throughout.
Which herbs handle an Australian summer best?
Basil thrives in heat with steady water, and established thyme, oregano and lavender cope well with dry heat. Coriander, dill and parsley struggle in midsummer, so shade them or wait for autumn.
A few pinches of seed in October can keep the kitchen supplied well into autumn. For more on keeping coriander leafy, see Sustainable Gardening Australia's coriander guide.
Related growing guides
- Why coriander bolts, and how to keep picking
- Beating the glut: keeping the summer harvest coming
- Watering pots in an Australian summer
Browse the full range of herb seeds, or go straight to basil seeds.