In the garden now (2 November 2026)
Canberra planting calendar
Bars show when each crop can go in and when a planting from that window is ready. The blue band is the frost season, from the average first autumn frost to the average last spring frost. Hover or tap a crop for details.
Sow indoorsSow or plant outdoorsHarvestFrost seasonToday
Swipe sideways to see the whole year →
Dates by crop
| Crop | Sow indoors | Sow / plant outdoors | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Sep 10 – Oct 15 | Nov 5 – Jan 30 plant out | Jan 18 – Apr 30 |
| Pepper | Sep 19 – Oct 24 | Nov 28 – Jan 26 plant out | Feb 4 – Apr 30 |
| Eggplant (aubergine) | Sep 30 – Nov 4 | Dec 9 – Jan 22 plant out | Feb 17 – Apr 30 |
| Cucumber | Oct 20 – Nov 16 | Nov 17 – Feb 11 sow | Jan 12 – Apr 30 |
| Zucchini (courgette) | Oct 8 – Nov 4 | Nov 5 – Feb 15 sow | Jan 2 – Apr 30 |
| Pumpkin and winter squash | Oct 8 – Nov 4 | Nov 5 – Jan 7 sow | Feb 12 – May 2 |
| Watermelon | Nov 11 – Dec 8 | Dec 9 – Jan 5 sow | Feb 21 – Apr 18 |
| Sweet corn | – | Oct 14 – Jan 23 sow | Jan 18 – Apr 30 |
| Green beans | – | Nov 5 – Feb 11 sow | Jan 6 – Apr 30 |
| Peas | – | Feb 6 – Mar 5, Aug 14 – Oct 23 sow | Nov 15 – Jan 15, Mar 28 – May 10 |
| Lettuce | Jul 24 – Aug 21 | Jan 22 – Mar 18, Aug 28 – Nov 19 sow | Nov 5 – Jan 24, Feb 28 – May 13 |
| Spinach | – | Feb 22 – Mar 31, Aug 14 – Nov 11 sow | Oct 26 – Jan 14, Mar 30 – Jun 2 |
| Kale | Jul 10 – Aug 14 | Aug 21 – Mar 22 sow | Nov 12 – Jun 17 |
| Cabbage | Jul 10 – Aug 14 | Aug 28 – Mar 3 plant out | Nov 28 – May 24 |
| Broccoli | Jul 17 – Aug 21 | Sep 4 – Mar 8 plant out | Nov 22 – May 17 |
| Carrots | – | Sep 4 – Mar 14 sow | Nov 26 – Jun 17 |
| Beets (beetroot) | – | Sep 4 – Mar 15 sow | Nov 17 – May 24 |
| Radishes | – | Feb 5 – Apr 9, Aug 21 – Dec 4 sow | Oct 10 – Jan 7, Feb 26 – May 17 |
| Onions | Jun 19 – Jul 24 | Aug 28 – Feb 4 plant out | Dec 17 – May 3 |
| Garlic | – | Apr 16 – May 17 sow | Dec 16 – Jan 5 |
| Potatoes | – | Sep 11 – Feb 8 sow | Dec 18 – May 3 |
| Swiss chard | – | Sep 11 – Mar 19 sow | Nov 16 – May 24 |
| Basil | Oct 17 – Nov 14 | Nov 28 – Mar 6 plant out | Dec 29 – Apr 30 |
| Cilantro (coriander) | – | Jan 28 – Mar 29, Sep 4 – Nov 26 sow | Oct 29 – Jan 23, Feb 27 – May 17 |
| Parsley | Jul 10 – Aug 14 | Sep 4 – Mar 6 sow | Nov 30 – Jun 2 |
Dates are for a typical year and the middle of the window is the safest. Sow a little at a time across a window rather than all at once. Cold snaps, heat waves, frost pockets and city warmth all shift the real dates; watch the forecast.
Frost dates in Canberra
- Average last spring frost
- September 25
- Late frost (1 year in 10)
- October 11 approx.
- Average first autumn frost
- May 3
- Early frost (1 year in 10)
- April 19 approx.
- Frost-free growing season
- 219 days
“Average” is the date with an even chance of a later (spring) or earlier (autumn) frost: a night at or below 0 °C (32 °F) at screen height. Tender crops go out a week or two after the spring date, which brings the risk down to about one year in ten.
Source: Estimated from TerraClimate 1991–2020 climate normals (typical error about a week; how).
Climate at a glance
- Hardiness zone
- 9a estimate
- Average coldest winter night
- -6°C21°F
- Warmest month
- January, highs 29°C83°F
- Coldest month
- July, lows 1°C33°F
- Crops with an outdoor window
- 25 of 25
The zone follows the USDA scheme: bands of the average lowest temperature of the year, 10 °F wide, split into a and b halves. Estimated from monthly climate normals; about one city in ten we checked comes out a full half-zone off. It tells you which perennials survive winter, not when to sow.
Temperature and rain by month
Average highAverage lowRainFreezing point
| Month | High | Low | Mean | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 29°C83°F | 14°C56°F | 21°C70°F | 51 mm2.0 in |
| February | 27°C81°F | 13°C56°F | 20°C69°F | 58 mm2.3 in |
| March | 25°C77°F | 11°C52°F | 18°C64°F | 45 mm1.8 in |
| April | 21°C69°F | 7°C45°F | 14°C57°F | 34 mm1.3 in |
| May | 16°C62°F | 4°C38°F | 10°C50°F | 35 mm1.4 in |
| June | 13°C55°F | 2°C35°F | 7°C45°F | 52 mm2.0 in |
| July | 12°C54°F | 1°C33°F | 6°C43°F | 44 mm1.7 in |
| August | 14°C56°F | 1°C35°F | 7°C45°F | 51 mm2.0 in |
| September | 17°C62°F | 4°C39°F | 10°C51°F | 62 mm2.4 in |
| October | 20°C68°F | 7°C44°F | 13°C56°F | 61 mm2.4 in |
| November | 23°C74°F | 9°C49°F | 16°C61°F | 73 mm2.9 in |
| December | 26°C79°F | 12°C53°F | 19°C66°F | 58 mm2.3 in |
Monthly averages 1991–2020 from TerraClimate (about 4 km grid).