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 Taro (Corm)
Grow Guide #3034
Family: Araceae
Binomial name: Colocasia esculenta
Life Cycle: Perennial
This 'How to Grow' guide details everything a home gardener needs to know to plant, grow and care for Taro (Colocasia esculenta).
Taro is a perennial plant that grows year round in most climates. Use the table below to identify the best time of year to plant taro corms 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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Soil Preparation and Position
Taro is best grown in moist, free-draining, well prepared soil, enriched with plenty of organic matter. Taro is also tolerant of periodically waterlogged soils. 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.
Choose a sunny to partially shaded, warm frost-free position. A position that receives morning sun and afternoon shade is ideal.
Taro plants can be grown in large containers, and container growing is recommended for temperate climates. Use a good quality potting mix and make sure your container is large enough for mature plants; a minimum of 75 litres is recommended for taro. During the growing season, keep in mind that container grown plants may need additional fertiliser to encourage healthy growth.
How to Plant and Grow Taro Corms
Planting taro in the ground: Plant taro corms 5cm deep and about 60-90cm apart into the prepared soil. Cover lightly with soil.
Planting taro in pots: Taro can be grown in large pots that are at least 50-60cm deep with approximately the same diameter. Ensure the pot has drainage holes. Plant one taro corm per pot. Fill pots with a quality potting mix and place the taro corm about 5cm deep in the centre of the pot. Cover lightly with potting mix.
Water in newly planted taro corms well, and keep them well watered throughout the growing season. If the soil is allowed to dry out, the plants will become stressed and will produce less corms.
Mulch the surface of the soil to suppress weeds and retain moisture, and fertilise each plant with an all purpose organic fertiliser about 6-8 weeks after planting.
If soil was well prepared no extra fertiliser should be necessary. In poor soil or to give your plants an extra boost, an application of a balanced fertiliser can be beneficial:
- Apply slow release fertiliser at the recommended rate.
- Apply liquid fertiliser at the recommended rate and frequency during spring and summer.
Potted taro may need to be fertilised more regularly.
How to Harvest Taro
Taro has a long growing season and will be ready to harvest approximately 6-9 months after planting when the leaves begin to die down in autumn.
Using a fork, carefully dig up the corms. The corms don't store well, so keep corms for no longer than a month before cooking and eating.
NOTE: Taro MUST be cooked before being eaten. The corms can be boiled, steamed, baked or fried.
Common Problems when Growing Taro
Taro is relatively pest and disease free but like all plants, taro is susceptible to some pests, diseases and other problems. Below is a list of the most common problems gardeners encounter when growing taro 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.
Mealybugs (Pseudococcidae sp.) are small (3-6mm long) sap-sucking insects with white, pink or gray bodies covered in a mealy coating that looks like cotton wool. They can cause leaves to wilt and also excrete honeydew which can attract ants and other insect pests. To manage mealybugs, remove them by wiping leaves, apply a soap or alcohol spray, or encourage predatory insects to your garden. Read more about mealybugs here.%20(3).jpg)
Rotten corms are caused by pathogens entering corms after sitting in cold, wet soil or being temporarily waterlogged. Corms may show obvious signs of rot or have no roots or shoots. If soaking corms before planting, do not soak them for longer than recommended. Plant corms in free-draining soil, raised garden beds or containers. If growing corms as perennials, lift and store them over winter and replant in spring.
Crown rot is a soil-borne fungal disease that causes the roots and centres of plants to rot. Above-ground symptoms include the lower stems and branches of plants turning brown causing the plant to die from the bottom up. Reduce soil moisture, do not overwater plants, ensure soil is well-drained, or plant in raised beds or containers.
Slugs and snails are molluscs that feed on tender leaves and shoots, mostly at night, leaving slimy trails behind them. Control them by removing their hiding places, keeping free range poultry, collecting them by torchlight or by placing traps. Read more about slugs and snails here.
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.
