In the garden now (2 November 2026)
Melbourne planting calendar
Bars show when each crop can go in and when a planting from that window is ready. Hover or tap a crop for details.
Sow indoorsSow or plant outdoorsHarvestToday
Swipe sideways to see the whole year →
Dates by crop
| Crop | Sow indoors | Sow / plant outdoors | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Aug 25 – Sep 29 | Oct 20 – Feb 17 plant out | Jan 8 – May 29 |
| Pepper | Sep 8 – Oct 13 | Nov 17 – Feb 13 plant out | Jan 29 – May 29 |
| Eggplant (aubergine) | Sep 24 – Oct 29 | Dec 3 – Feb 9 plant out | Feb 13 – May 29 |
| Cucumber | Oct 5 – Nov 1 | Nov 2 – Mar 2 sow | Jan 2 – May 29 |
| Zucchini (courgette) | Sep 22 – Oct 19 | Oct 20 – Mar 7 sow | Dec 21 – May 29 |
| Pumpkin and winter squash | Sep 22 – Oct 19 | Oct 20 – Jan 31 sow | Feb 2 – Jul 16, Jul 21 – Aug 17 |
| Watermelon | Nov 5 – Dec 2 | Dec 3 – Jan 17 sow | Feb 17 – May 1 |
| Sweet corn | – | Sep 22 – Feb 11 sow | Jan 5 – May 29 |
| Green beans | – | Oct 20 – Mar 2 sow | Dec 25 – May 29 |
| Peas | – | Feb 4 – Nov 17 sow | Mar 24 – Feb 2 |
| Lettuce | – | Jan 1 – Dec 31 sow | Jan 1 – Dec 31 |
| Spinach | – | Jan 30 – Dec 10 sow | Mar 4 – Feb 9 |
| Kale | – | Jan 1 – Dec 31 sow | Jan 1 – Dec 31 |
| Cabbage | Nov 13 – Dec 18 | Jan 1 – Dec 31 plant out | Jan 1 – Dec 31 |
| Broccoli | Nov 13 – Dec 18 | Jan 1 – Dec 31 plant out | Jan 1 – Dec 31 |
| Carrots | – | Jan 1 – Dec 31 sow | Jan 1 – Dec 31 |
| Beets (beetroot) | – | Jan 1 – Dec 31 sow | Jan 1 – Dec 31 |
| Radishes | – | Jan 1 – Dec 31 sow | Jan 1 – Dec 31 |
| Onions | Oct 23 – Nov 27 | Jan 1 – Dec 31 plant out | Jan 1 – Dec 31 |
| Garlic | Garlic needs about six weeks below 10 °C to form bulbs; winters here are too mild for most varieties. | ||
| Potatoes | – | Jun 18 – Apr 10 sow | Oct 27 – Sep 29 |
| Swiss chard | – | Jan 1 – Dec 31 sow | Jan 1 – Dec 31 |
| Basil | Oct 6 – Nov 3 | Nov 17 – Mar 23 plant out | Dec 20 – May 29 |
| Cilantro (coriander) | – | Jan 1 – Dec 31 sow | Jan 1 – Dec 31 |
| Parsley | – | Jan 1 – Dec 31 sow | Jan 1 – Dec 31 |
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 Melbourne
Frost is rare in Melbourne: fewer than half of winters have one, going by the average winter lows. Heat and the dry or wet season matter more here than frost; the calendar works around them.
Source: Estimated from TerraClimate 1991–2020 climate normals (typical error about a week; how).
Climate at a glance
- Hardiness zone
- 10a estimate
- Average coldest winter night
- 0°C33°F
- Warmest month
- February, highs 26°C80°F
- Coldest month
- July, lows 7°C44°F
- Crops with an outdoor window
- 24 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 | 26°C80°F | 15°C59°F | 21°C69°F | 50 mm2.0 in |
| February | 26°C80°F | 15°C59°F | 21°C70°F | 47 mm1.8 in |
| March | 24°C76°F | 14°C57°F | 19°C67°F | 36 mm1.4 in |
| April | 21°C69°F | 11°C52°F | 16°C61°F | 55 mm2.2 in |
| May | 17°C63°F | 9°C48°F | 13°C56°F | 53 mm2.1 in |
| June | 14°C58°F | 7°C45°F | 11°C52°F | 50 mm2.0 in |
| July | 14°C57°F | 7°C44°F | 10°C51°F | 41 mm1.6 in |
| August | 15°C59°F | 7°C45°F | 11°C52°F | 47 mm1.9 in |
| September | 17°C63°F | 8°C47°F | 13°C55°F | 53 mm2.1 in |
| October | 20°C68°F | 10°C50°F | 15°C59°F | 60 mm2.4 in |
| November | 22°C72°F | 12°C53°F | 17°C63°F | 64 mm2.5 in |
| December | 24°C76°F | 13°C56°F | 19°C66°F | 59 mm2.3 in |
Monthly averages 1991–2020 from TerraClimate (about 4 km grid).