Climate Zones for Australian Gardeners
Knowing your climate zone will help you decide the best time to sow the vegetables, herbs and flowers you want to grow, and which varieties should perform well in your garden. Growing plants that are suited to your climate zone will usually give you the best results in your garden.
How to Use Climate Zones
First, find your climate zone using the map or descriptions below. Next, refer to our sowing chart, which provides approximate sowing times for our most popular seeds for each climate zone.
While knowing your climate zone is helpful when planning your garden, there are many other factors that may affect how your plants grow, including unseasonal weather conditions, the specific microclimate of your garden and how you care for your plants. You know your garden better than us, so if a different climate zone seems to ‘fit’ your garden better, go ahead and use it as a guide.
Our climate zones cover huge areas of Australia, so we recommend gardeners also consider their local conditions when planning what and when to plant. For example, gardeners in alpine areas have shorter growing seasons than gardeners in cool coastal areas, even though both alpine and coastal areas are included in our ‘Cool Temperate’ climate zone. We recommend gardeners in cool regions look at the ‘days to maturity’ information provided for each variety and choose those that will mature in a short (6-12 week) growing season.
Tropical
- Includes: Darwin, Cairns, Townsville, Exmouth
- High humidity summers with most rainfall in summer and dry, warm winters. Includes northern Australia from Exmouth (WA) across to south of Townsville (Qld).
- Set as my climate
Arid
- Includes: Alice Springs, Mildura, Albury-Wodonga, Shepparton, Wagga Wagga, Dubbo
- Hot dry summers, winters can be warm or cool depending on the region. Includes a large area of central Australia from the WA coast to Charleville (Qld), Tamworth (NSW) and Albury-Wodonga (NSW/Vic).
- Set as my climate
Subtropical
- Includes: Brisbane, Bundaberg, Coffs Harbour, Gold Coast, Hervey Bay, Mackay, Rockhampton, Sunshine Coast
- Warm humid summers with high summer rainfall and mild winters. Includes coastal Queensland and northern NSW from north of Mackay to just south of Coffs Harbour.
- Set as my climate
Temperate
- Includes: Sydney, Perth, Adelaide, Newcastle, Toowoomba, Central Coast NSW, Wollongong, Bunbury
- Moderate humidity and reliable rainfall, with four distinct seasons. Includes coastal areas from north of Port Macquarie to south of Woollongong in NSW, coastal SA and the southeastern coast of WA.
- Set as my climate
Cool Temperate
- Includes: Melbourne, Canberra, Hobart, Launceston, Ballarat, Bendigo, Geelong, Mt Gambier
- Low humidity with most rainfall in winter; hot dry summers and cold winters. Some regions will experience frosts and snow. Includes coastal areas of south-eastern Australia and alpine areas of Victoria, NSW and Tasmania.
- Set as my climate
Climate Zones FAQ
What if I can’t find my climate zone?
If you can’t locate your zone from looking at the map or the descriptions on this page, we suggest that you think of
an area that has a climate that’s similar to yours and use the zone for that area as a guide.
What if I live on the border of two zones?
If you live near the border between two zones we suggest you read the descriptions for both zones and decide which
best describes the climate where you live. Depending on the microclimate in your garden, you may be able to grow a
wider range of plants over a longer season than others in your zone. Lucky you!
What is a microclimate?
A microclimate is a small area where the temperature or humidity differs to the climate of the surrounding area. For
example, if you live in a climate zone where frosts are common but your garden is protected by buildings or large
trees, your garden may be frost-free. Similarly, if you live in a warm temperate zone but your garden is at a high
altitude your microclimate may have more in common with the cool temperate zone, so use this as a guide when
deciding which zone is relevant to you.
Can I grow varieties not listed for my climate zone?
While our climate zones and sowing chart will help you decide what is suitable to plant in your garden, they provide
general guidance only. We recommend you start by sowing seed that’s recommended for your climate zone; once you get
a few successes under your belt you can experiment with varieties in neighbouring zones and see how you go –
gardening is all about experimenting after all!
How to Grow Alfalfa Sprouts
Family: Fabaceae
Binomial name: Medicago sativa
| Best Method | Sprouting Jar |
| Quantity of seed to use for a 500ml jar: | 1.5 tbsp (approx 30ml / 15g) |
| Soaking time: | 6-8 hours |
| Germination temperature: | 15-29°C |
| Days to harvest: | 6-8 days |
How to Grow Alfalfa Sprouts
Alfalfa seeds can be sprouted indoors at any time of year.
Grow sprouts in a position away from direct sunlight. Growing the sprouts in the dark will produce sweeter shoots than growing them in a brightly lit position.
- Rinse 1.5 table spoons (approx 30ml / 15g) of seed in a sieve and remove any noticeably damaged or discoloured seeds.
- Add the seed to a sprouting jar or 500ml glass jar and cover with lukewarm water.
- Attach the lid of the sprouting jar, or cover the glass jar with cheesecloth and secure it with the rubber band.
- Soak the seeds for 6-8 hours, then tip the jar upside down and drain the excess water. Rinse and drain again.
- Place the jar on its side in a dark, warm place; putting the jar in a shallow bowl with the open end in the bowl can help catch excess water as it drains. Seeds germinate best at temperatures of 15-29°C.
- Rinse and drain the seeds 2-3 times a day until the shoots have emerged and grown to the desired length.
How to Harvest Sprouts
Alfalfa sprouts should be ready to harvest in approximately 6-8 days.
Just before harvesting the sprouts, expose them to sunlight for a few hours until the shoots turn green. This step is essential to improve the nutritional benefit of the sprouts.
Before eating the sprouts, give them a final rinse and drain them thoroughly. Take the sprouts from the jar, discard any unsprouted seeds, and leave sprouts to dry on kitchen paper. Drying the sprouts improves their storage time.
Alfalfa sprouts are best eaten soon after they are harvested. Sprouts can be stored short term in a sealed container in the refrigerator. Discard immediately if there are any signs of mould or an unpleasant smell. Ideally, grow small batches at staggered intervals so sprouts can be eaten at their freshest.
Common Problems When Growing Sprouts
As with all plants, problems sometimes occur when growing sprouts. Below is a list of the most common problems encountered when sprouting seeds:
- Seeds not sprouting may be caused by having too much or too little water in the jar, overfilling the jar, or seeds having been stored incorrectly prior to use. Use the recommended quantity of seeds and rinse and drain seeds as directed then place the jar on its side so some water is retained; store sprouting seeds in a cool, dry place.
- Smelly or mouldy seeds may be caused by not rinsing the sprouts often enough, high temperatures or mould spores being introduced through using dirty equipment or water. Rinse seeds thoroughly at least twice a day and do not expose jars to temperatures above 30°C. Use thoroughly clean jars and lids; for best results use filtered water to rinse seeds.
- Chewy or bitter tasting sprouts may be caused by exposing the sprouts to too much light while they were growing or leaving sprouts too long before harvesting them. Sprouts can be grown in the dark and only exposed to sunlight for a short while when they are ready to harvest; harvest sprouts when they are small and crisp.
