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 Microgreens Seeds
Grow Guide #2934
Family: various
Binomial name: various sp.
Life Cycle: Grown as an annual
This 'How to Grow' guide details everything a home gardener needs to know to plant, grow and care for Microgreens (various sp.).
When to Sow Microgreens Seeds
Use the table below to identify the best time of year to sow microgreens seeds 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
Microgreens seeds can be grown indoors or out in a position with good but not harsh sunlight. A position such as a sunny windowsill where seed trays receive a few hours of direct sunlight in the morning is ideal. Alternatively, use a grow lamp or wide-spectrum light source.
If growing outdoors, choose a protected position where seed trays will not be exposed to strong winds or very high temperatures, and protect emerging seedlings from slugs, snails and other pests.
How to Grow Microgreens
Materials
- A shallow container with drainage holes, such as a seed tray or a used fruit punnet.
- A growing medium such as seed raising mix, fine compost, potting mix or coir.
- A garden mister with filtered water.
Method
- If recommended, soak larger seeds overnight in a little warm water to speed up germination.
- Fill the container with 3-4cm of growing medium, filling it to around three-quarters of the container height. Gently press the soil to create a flat seed bed and moisten it well without drenching it.
- Sprinkle the seeds liberally but evenly over the surface. Aim for even and fairly dense coverage without the seeds actually touching.
- Cover the seeds with a thin layer of soil, no more than a few millimetres thick, pushing larger seeds gently downward beforehand if needed. Mist lightly, then cover the container with a clear lid or plastic wrap, leaving gaps for the air to circulate.
- Place the container in a sunny spot or close to a suitable light source. In poor light levels, the germinated seeds will quickly grow 'leggy' and spindly; also take care that the tender seedlings don't scorch through excessively strong direct light.
- Mist the surface at least once a day to prevent the seeds drying out, but be careful not to waterlog the soil as this risks rotting the seeds. Seeds should germinate in 3-12 days at temperatures of 8-25°C.
- Once the seeds have germinated, you can remove the container cover. Continue misting at least daily until the seedlings are ready to harvest.
How to Harvest Microgreens
Microgreens are ready to harvest in 6-30 days, once the first 'true leaves' have developed and gained a healthy colour. Depending on the plant variety, the seedlings will generally be between two and six centimetres high.
To harvest, either cut each stem with scissors just above soil level, or pull the entire seedling out, roots and all, before washing gently in filtered water and patting dry. Harvest as soon as possible before eating, as microgreens will quickly wilt and lose their flavour once cut. Microgreens can be stored for one to two days in a sealed plastic bag in the refrigerator.
Common Problems when Growing Microgreens
Like all plants, microgreens is susceptible to some pests, diseases and other problems. Below is a list of the most common problems gardeners encounter when growing microgreens plants:
Damping off is caused by a fungal growth that transfers from the soil to seeds or tender seedlings. Seeds may appear not to germinate, or young plants start to rot when they emerge from the soil and become soft and mushy at the base before dying. Use new potting mix if raising seedlings, do not water foliage and avoid waterlogged soil. Read more about damping off here.
Bitter taste can be caused by plants growing too slowly, suffering a setback in growth or being harvested too late. Enrich soil with aged manure before planting, ensure plants are watered deeply and regularly, and harvest when they are young and tender.
