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 Broad Bean Seeds
Grow Guide #2235
Family: Fabaceae
Binomial name: Vicia faba
Life Cycle: Annual
This 'How to Grow' guide details everything a home gardener needs to know to plant, grow and care for Broad Beans (Vicia faba).
When to Sow Broad Bean Seeds
Broad Bean is a cool season crop. Use the table below to identify the best time of year to sow broad bean in your climate.
| JAN | FEB | MAR | APR | MAY | JUN | JUL | AUG | SEP | OCT | NOV | DEC | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cool | ||||||||||||
| Temperate | ||||||||||||
| Sub-Tropical | ||||||||||||
| Tropical | ||||||||||||
| Arid |
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Preparation
Broad Bean plants are best grown in full sun. Choose a location that will receive at least 6 hours of full sun each day.
Broad Bean plants need a well drained soil enriched with plenty of organic matter. Prepare soil by weeding it thoroughly, digging it over to loosen it and adding aged animal manure or compost. Keep the area free of weeds until planting. Learn more about preparing soil for planting here.
How to Sow Broad Bean Seeds
Broad Bean seeds do not require any treatment (eg soaking, stratification) before sowing.
Broad Bean seeds grow best when they are sown directly into the garden.
- Sow seeds directly in the garden 50mm deep and 30cm apart, with rows 100cm apart.
- Keep soil moist but never wet or dry.
- Seeds should germinate in around 7-14 days at a soil temperature of 6-24°C.
- Young seedlings will need protection from pests, pets and weather until they are established.
How to Grow Broad Bean
Broad Bean plants may need watering during the growing season. Water when the soil is dry about 5cm below the surface (test this by scratching away a little soil with your finger). Water deeply in the early morning or late afternoon. Avoid watering the leaves of plants to avoid fungal diseases. Learn more about watering here.
If soil was well prepared no extra fertiliser should be necessary. In poor soil or to give your plants an extra boost, application of a balanced fertiliser or one formulated for fruit and vegetables can be beneficial:
- Apply slow release fertiliser at the recommended rate when transplanting or when seedlings are 5-10cm tall.
- Apply liquid fertiliser at the recommended rate and frequency while plants are fruiting or flowering.
Broad bean plants may need support as they grow. Use string strung between stakes around the garden bed or on either side of each row to 'corral' the plants and support the stems to grow upright.
Once the first pods appear, pinch out the growing tips to deter aphids and direct the plant's energy into producing large pods.
How to Harvest Broad Beans
Broad Beans should be ready to harvest in approximately 90 days.
Broad beans are ready to harvest when they are large enough to eat. Harvest small pods (7.5cm or more) to eat whole. Harvest pods to shell when the beans are visible through the pod; small beans are more tender than larger beans. Pods growing lower on the plant will mature before those growing at the top of the plant. Harvest pods by cutting with snips/secateurs. Harvest regularly to encourage more pods. For short term storage, pods can be kept in a perforated plastic bag in the fridge. For longer term storage, beans can be removed from the pods, blanched and frozen.
The flowers and growing tips of the plants can also be harvested and eaten. Eat the flowers raw in salads or as a garnish. Eat the growing tips raw or lightly cooked in salads or stir fries.
Common Problems when Growing Broad Beans
Like all plants, broad bean is susceptible to some pests, diseases and other problems. Below is a list of the most common problems gardeners encounter when growing broad bean plants:
Aphids are small (2-4mm long) sap-sucking insects that congregate on the new shoots or the undersides of leaves. They can cause leaves to wilt or become discoloured, and also excrete honeydew which can attract ants and other insect pests. To manage aphids, remove them by spraying with a garden hose, apply a soap or alcohol spray, or encourage predatory insects to your garden. Read more about aphids here.
Rust (Puccinia sp.) is a fungal disease that causes brown to orange raised spots or patches to appear on foliage. Fungal spores are spread by wind or water to neighbouring plants, especially in temperatures of 10-20C and when humidity is high. To manage rust, space plants to avoid overcrowding, grow them in the recommended amount of light (eg full sun), do not over fertilise crops, remove dead plants and practice crop rotation. Read more about rust fungus here.
Chocolate Spot (Botrytis sp.) is an air-borne fungal disease that causes round, red-brown spots on all parts of the plant. Flower production may be affected and in the worst cases plant stems will collapse. Infections are worst during damp, cold conditions and when plants are crowded together. Grow plants at the recommended spacing and avoid damp, humid growing conditions where possible. Destroy infected plants at the end of the season..jpg)
Pea beetles (Bruchus pisorum, also known as pea weevil) are 5mm long brown to grey beetles that emerge from hibernation in spring. Adult beetles feed on the leaves and flowers of plants. Female beetles lay single eggs on the outside of pea pods. Larvae then burrow into pea seeds to feed, emerging as adults around 40 days later. Monitor crops during spring and use insecticide spray if adult beetles are found; dispose of infested seed. Learn more about pea beetles here..jpg)
Tough pods, peas or beans is usually caused by harvesting the pods when they are too large. Harvest pods when they are firm and large enough to eat but still young and tender; harvesting pods while they are small will also encourage the production of more pods resulting in a larger harvest.
