The Australian Sowing Almanac

Climate Zones
Rows of lettuce, spring onions and young brassicas in worked soil, under the headline Australia is not one season, it is five
0 comments

Australia isn't one growing season, it's five. Set where you garden and which month you're planning, then read straight across each row: the coloured months are when to sow that seed where you live. Every plant links to its seeds.

1 · Where you garden
DarwinAlice SpringsBrisbaneSydneyMelbournePerthHobart

Cool zone. Cold, frosty winters and a short warm season. Cool-season crops thrive; start frost-tender crops undercover and plant out only once the frosts pass, around October to November.

Temperate zone. Mild, four-season weather with light frost inland and little on the coast. The most forgiving zone, with two flushes a year: warm crops in spring, cool crops in autumn.

Arid zone. Hot, dry summers and cold, frosty winter nights. Work the milder shoulders, autumn and late winter into spring, and shield plants from heat, wind and evaporation.

Subtropical zone. Warm, humid summers and mild, mostly frost-free winters. You can grow almost all year, and winter is a productive, low-pest window for the whole cool-season range.

Tropical zone. A Wet and a Dry season rather than four. The cooler Dry, roughly April to September, is the main vegetable window; save heat-lovers like okra for the Wet.

2 · Which month
SummerAutumnWinterSpring

Planning your sowing month

Your sowing calendar
Sow in your zone Not this month Your selected month Read left → right, Jan to Dec

Vegetables

JFMAMJJASOND
TomatoRaise undercover CapsicumRaise undercover ChilliRaise undercover EggplantRaise undercover CucumberSow direct ZucchiniSow direct SquashSow direct PumpkinSow direct WatermelonSow direct RockmelonSow direct Dwarf beanSow direct Climbing beanSow direct Sweet cornSow direct OkraDirect or raise PeaSow direct Broad beanSow direct LettuceDirect or raise SpinachSow direct SilverbeetDirect or raise RocketDirect or raise Asian greensDirect or raise MizunaDirect or raise KaleDirect or raise CabbageDirect or raise Chinese cabbageSow direct CauliflowerDirect or raise BroccoliDirect or raise Brussels sproutsDirect or raise CarrotSow direct BeetrootSow direct RadishSow direct TurnipSow direct SwedeSow direct ParsnipSow direct OnionDirect or raise Spring onionSow direct LeekRaise undercover GarlicPlant cloves PotatoPlant tubers CeleryRaise undercover AsparagusPlant crowns Globe artichokePlant offsets Jerusalem artichokePlant tubers CeleriacRaise undercover KohlrabiDirect or raise Florence fennelSow direct EndiveDirect or raise ChicorySow direct Sweet potatoPlant slips GingerPlant rhizomes TomatilloRaise undercover Bitter melonSow direct Snake beanSow direct SoybeanSow direct ChokoPlant sprouted fruit LuffaSow direct AmaranthDirect or raise Mustard greensSow direct TatsoiDirect or raise SorrelDirect or raise Warrigal greensSow direct SalsifySow direct

Herbs

JFMAMJJASOND
BasilDirect or raise CorianderSow direct ParsleyDirect or raise DillSow direct ChivesSow direct ThymeDirect or raise OreganoDirect or raise RosemaryRaise undercover SageDirect or raise MintRaise undercover FennelSow direct ChervilSow direct ChamomileDirect or raise BorageSow direct Lemon balmDirect or raise MarjoramDirect or raise Winter savoryDirect or raise TarragonRaise undercover LavenderRaise undercover LemongrassRaise undercover CatnipDirect or raise SteviaRaise undercover AniseSow direct CarawaySow direct NigellaSow direct WatercressDirect or raise ComfreyPlant crowns

Flowers

JFMAMJJASOND
SunflowerSow direct MarigoldDirect or raise NasturtiumSow direct CalendulaDirect or raise CosmosDirect or raise ZinniaDirect or raise Sweet peaSow direct AlyssumDirect or raise AsterRaise undercover CornflowerSow direct CandytuftSow direct DianthusRaise undercover CelosiaRaise undercover DelphiniumRaise undercover LarkspurSow direct FoxgloveRaise undercover GazaniaRaise undercover GypsophilaSow direct HollyhockDirect or raise LobeliaRaise undercover PansyRaise undercover ViolaRaise undercover PetuniaRaise undercover PhloxDirect or raise PoppySow direct PortulacaDirect or raise RudbeckiaRaise undercover SalviaRaise undercover SnapdragonRaise undercover StaticeRaise undercover StockRaise undercover StrawflowerDirect or raise VerbenaRaise undercover WallflowerRaise undercover Everlasting daisySow direct

Fruit & Berries

Grown from seed, seedlings, canes, crowns or runners; the coloured months show the best planting window.

JFMAMJJASOND
StrawberryPlant runners RaspberryPlant canes BlackberryPlant canes BlueberryPlant potted BlackcurrantPlant canes RedcurrantPlant canes GooseberryPlant canes RhubarbPlant crowns Cape gooseberryRaise undercover PassionfruitPlant seedling GrapePlant canes

Flower Bulbs

The coloured months show when to plant the bulbs, corms and tubers.

JFMAMJJASOND
TulipPlant bulbs DaffodilPlant bulbs RanunculusPlant bulbs AnemonePlant bulbs FreesiaPlant bulbs HyacinthPlant bulbs CrocusPlant bulbs Bearded irisPlant rhizomes Dutch irisPlant bulbs DahliaPlant tubers GladiolusPlant bulbs LilyPlant bulbs AlliumPlant bulbs Tuberous begoniaPlant tubers

Cover Crops & Green Manure

Sown to feed and protect the soil, then slashed or dug in before they flower.

JFMAMJJASOND
Field peaSow direct LupinSow direct Faba beanSow direct Woolly pod vetchSow direct SubcloverSow direct FenugreekSow direct MustardSow direct BuckwheatSow direct Cereal ryeSow direct Japanese milletSow direct CowpeaSow direct Mung beanSow direct Lab labSow direct

Sprouts & Microgreens

Grown indoors on a windowsill, so you can sow them all year round in every zone.

JFMAMJJASOND
AlfalfaIndoor year-round Mung beanIndoor year-round BroccoliIndoor year-round RadishIndoor year-round Pea shootsIndoor year-round SunflowerIndoor year-round WheatgrassIndoor year-round FenugreekIndoor year-round LentilIndoor year-round MustardIndoor year-round CressIndoor year-round
The five zones

Which zone are you?

Match your nearest city. Coastal and inland spots can differ, so treat the boundaries as a guide, not a wall.

Cool

Melbourne, Hobart, Canberra, Ballarat, tablelands

The coldest gardens, with genuine winter frost and a short summer. Peas, broad beans, brassicas and leafy greens excel; frost-tender crops need a head start indoors.

Temperate

Sydney, Adelaide, Perth, Newcastle

Four clear seasons and generally light frost give the widest planting window in the country: warm-season crops in spring, cool-season crops in autumn.

Arid

Alice Springs, Mildura, Broken Hill, Kalgoorlie

Baking summers, cold winter nights and little rain. Timing is everything: sow into the autumn and spring shoulders, and give plants shade, water and wind protection.

Subtropical

Brisbane, Gold Coast, Coffs Harbour, Bundaberg

Warm, humid summers and mild, dry winters with frost a rarity. Winter is prime growing time; summer heat, humidity and disease are the main hurdles, not cold.

Tropical

Darwin, Cairns, Townsville, Broome

Hot and humid all year with no frost, split into a Wet and a Dry. Most vegetables are grown through the Dry; the Wet suits tough tropical crops like okra and snake bean.

Good to know

Frequently asked questions

How accurate are these sowing times?

They're a solid, cross-checked guide, drawn from Australian planting references and government and horticultural sources for each climate zone. Gardens still vary: your altitude, aspect, soil and this year's weather can shift the timing by a few weeks, so treat the windows as the reliable easy path rather than strict rules. Your own last-frost date and the notes on your seed packet always have the final say.

How do the month picker and “sow now” work?

The almanac opens on your current month, but you can tap any month on the year ribbon to plan ahead. Your chosen month is highlighted as a gold column down every row, and the Only what to sow now toggle narrows the list to just the plants that suit that month in your zone.

Which climate zone am I in?

Match your nearest capital or major town on the map. As a rough guide: tropical across the far north, subtropical down the central-east coast, arid through the dry interior, temperate along the southern coasts, and cool through the south-eastern uplands and Tasmania. If you sit near a boundary, try both zones and see which better matches your own frosts and seasons.

What does “sow direct” vs “raise undercover” mean?

Sow direct means planting seed straight into the bed where it will grow, best for crops that resent being moved, like carrots, beans and peas. Raise undercover means starting seed in punnets in a warm, sheltered spot and transplanting later, handy for frost-tender crops like tomato and for getting a jump on the season.

Can I sow outside these months?

Often, yes, especially with a warm windowsill, a greenhouse, or a mild coastal microclimate. The windows shown are the dependable mainstream times for each zone; think of them as the easy path, not a hard limit.

Ready to plant

Browse the seed range

Vegetable seeds Herb seeds Flower seeds

More from the Learning Hub: Sowing Calendar · Vegetable growing guides · Seed saving · Propagation & seed raising

A general guide for Australian home gardens. Your own microclimate, frost dates and the current season have the final say, so always check the sowing notes on your seed packet. © Happy Valley Seeds.

Tags: Climate zones, Planting guide, Sowing calendar, What to plant

Leave a comment