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 Potato Tubers
Grow Guide #2306
Family: Solanaceae
Binomial name: Solanum tuberosum
Life Cycle: Perennial (usually grown as an annual)
This 'How to Grow' guide details everything a home gardener needs to know to plant, grow and care for Potatoes (Solanum tuberosum).
Potato varieties are classified as either indeterminate or determinate. Indeterminate potatoes produce tubers along their stems; stems should be covered as the plants grow to allow more tubers to be produced. Determinate potatoes produce tubers in a single layer underground; there's no need to cover their stems as they grow.
When to Plant Seed Potatoes
Potato is a warm season crop. Use the table below to identify the best time of year to plant seed potatoes 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
Potato plants are best grown in full sun. Choose a location that will receive at least 6 hours of full sun each day.
Potato plants need a loose, well drained soil enriched with organic matter. Prepare soil by weeding it thoroughly, digging it over to at least a spade’s depth to loosen the soil, and adding aged animal manure or compost. Organic matter can be dug into heavy soil to lighten it so roots can grow freely. Keep the area free of weeds until planting. Learn more about preparing soil for planting here.
Potato plants are very susceptible to pests and diseases. Practice crop rotation to reduce the chance of pests and diseases becoming pervasive in your garden. Do not plant potatoes in the same position two years in a row. Read more about crop rotation here. Only plant certified seed potatoes; these potatoes have been tested to make sure they're free of disease.
Potato plants can be grown in containers or grow bags. Use a good quality potting mix and make sure your container is large enough for mature plants; a minimum of 40 litres is recommended for potatoes. During the growing season, keep in mind that container grown plants may need additional fertiliser to encourage healthy growth. Learn how to grow potatoes in containers and grow bags here.
Optional: Potatoes can be sprouted before they are planted by placing them in a single layer in a cool place for a few weeks. When sprouts are 2-3cm long, remove all but 2 or 3 strong shoots and plant the potatoes in the garden or a grow bag. This process is known as 'chitting'. Chitting can give potatoes a head start to the growing season, meaning they will mature earlier.
How to Plant Seed Potatoes in the Garden
- Make trenches 25cm wide and 20cm deep, piling up excess soil at the sides. Allow 60-75cm between trenches.
- Place potatoes in the trenches 25-30cm apart and backfill with about 10cm of soil.
- Water in well.
How to Grow Potatoes
Potato 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.
When the shoots are 15cm high, add more soil around the stems, leaving the top leaves exposed. As plants grow, continue to add soil or mulch around stems, unrolling the bag as you go, until the mounds are 30-40cm above the original soil level or the grow bag or container is nearly full.
Determinate varieties only: There is no need to mound the soil around the stems; when shoots are 15cm high apply a 10cm layer of organic mulch.
Potato is a frost sensitive crop. Do not plant until around 4 weeks before the last expected frost date for your region.
How to Harvest Potatoes
Potatoes should be ready to harvest in approximately 80-120 days.
Early or new potatoes can usually be harvested as soon as the plants start to flower. Dig up a sample to check for size before harvesting the entire crop. There's no need to harvest all your potatoes at once as they'll continue to grow and stay fresher in the ground than in storage.
For full-size potatoes, wait until plants have flowered and the foliage has fully died back, which is usually in late summer or early autumn. Use a garden fork to gently lift the tubers from the bed, shaking off any excess soil. Alternatively, you can ‘bandicoot’ the tubers gradually by digging carefully to unearth just a few tubers at a time. Potatoes can be eaten immediately or stored for future use. Store in a dark, cool well ventilated space, checking regularly for rot or sprouting.
Do not eat tubers that have green skin or shoots as they may be poisonous.
Common Problems when Growing Potatoes
Like all plants, potato is susceptible to some pests, diseases and other problems. Below is a list of the most common problems gardeners encounter when growing potato 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.
Onion thrips (Thrips tabaci) are flying insects less than 1.5mm long with slender pale yellow to light brown bodies. They suck sap from plants, leaving silver patches on the leaves and reducing the productivity and yield of plants. Thrips can live in the inner leaves and leaf folds of alliums, and may also infest bulbs. Wash thrips from affected plants using a garden hose, spread an organic mulch around plants, and encourage predatory mites and lacewings with companion planting.
Early blight (or Target Spot) is a fungal disease that attacks the leaves and stems of plants. Fungal spores are spread by wind, rain and insects. Circular brown or black spots, usually around 6mm in diameter, appear on the leaves and stems, lowering the productivity of plants. Grow only certified seed potatoes, spray affected plants with fungicide and practice crop rotation.
Potato Scab diseases are caused by bacteria or fungi that cause rough, raised patches or brown depressions on the skin of tubers. The pathogens may be present in the soil or carried on diseased seed potatoes. Inconsistent watering and soil that is alkaline can encourage scab diseases. Grow only certified seed potatoes, grow resistant varieties and practice crop rotation.%20(2).jpg)
Rotten tubers are caused by pathogens entering tubers after sitting in cold, wet soil or being temporarily waterlogged. Tubers may show obvious signs of rot, have no roots or shoots, or produce stunted yellow leaves. Plant tubers in free-draining soil, raised garden beds or containers, and do not water them until shoots emerge. In heavy soils, lift and store tubers over winter and replant in spring.
Bacterial wilt is a disease that causes wilting, yellowing, stunting or die-back of plants. On tubers, wilt causes brown-grey patches on the skin and a discharge oozing from the eyes. The disease is spread through infected soil or water and enters the roots of plants where they have been damaged by tools or pests, often when soil conditions are wet. Grow only certified seed potatoes, dispose of infected plants in general waste and practice crop rotation.
Whitefly is a sap-sucking insect related to aphids. They are often found in large numbers on the underside of leaves and will swarm in clouds when disturbed. Plants may have yellowing leaves or may wilt, and growth will be slowed. Whitefly can be removed with a garden hose or sprayed with soap spray. Badly affected plants should be destroyed. Attracting beneficial insects that will prey on whitefly can be beneficial. Read more about managing whitefly here.
