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 Turmeric Rhizomes
Grow Guide #2463
Family: Zingiberaceae
Binomial name: Curcuma longa
Life Cycle: Perennial
This 'How to Grow' guide details everything a home gardener needs to know to plant, grow and care for Turmeric (Curcuma longa).
When to Plant Turmeric
Turmeric is a warm season crop. Use the table below to identify the best time of year to plant turmeric rhizomes 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
Turmeric plants are best grown in full sun or part shade. Choose a location that will receive at least 3 hours of full sun each day. A position that receives morning sun and afternoon shade is ideal.
Turmeric 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.
Turmeric plants can be grown in containers, and container growing is recommended for temperate and cold climates. 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 turmeric. During the growing season, keep in mind that container grown plants may need additional fertiliser to encourage healthy growth.
How to Plant Turmeric Rhizomes
Turmeric plants grow from rhizomes, which are swollen pieces of stem that grow horizontally under the soil. Shoots emerge from growing points, often called 'eyes', on the rhizomes.
Turmeric plants need soil temperatures of 20-30°C to produce shoots.
- Plant the rhizomes 5cm deep with the growing points facing up.
- Space rhizomes 15cm apart.
- Keep the soil just moist but not wet until shoots emerge.
How to Grow Turmeric
Turmeric plants need regular watering during the growing season. Do not let soil dry out; keep soil evenly moist but not waterlogged. Water deeply in the early morning or late afternoon. Avoid watering the leaves of plants to avoid fungal diseases. Learn more about watering here. Reducing watering as the plant dies back will encourage rhizome growth.
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 shoots are 5-10cm tall.
- Apply liquid fertiliser at the recommended rate and frequency during spring and summer.
Turmeric plants may die back in autumn or winter in cold climates. When the leaves start to yellow and die, harvest the crop or cut plants back just above ground level. Alternatively, move pots indoors or into a greenhouse over the cooler months. If rhizomes become crowded, lift them in spring, break them into smaller pieces and replant.
How to Harvest Turmeric
Turmeric should be ready to harvest in approximately 160-190 days.
Rhizomes are ready to harvest when they are large enough to eat, and can be harvested as needed, or all at once at the end of the season. Harvest individual rhizomes by gently digging to unearth them from the soil. Shake off any excess soil and cut the stems 1-2cm above the top of the rhizome. To harvest whole plants, wait until the foliage begins to yellow and die back, then lift the entire plant from the ground. Remove excess soil and trim stems as described above.
Turmeric can be stored short term at room temperature or in an air-tight container in the fridge. Store turmeric unpeeled. For longer term storage, turmeric can be peeled and frozen or dried and ground into a powder in a food processor. Take care when handling fresh turmeric as it can permanently stain clothing, cutting boards, plastic containers and cooking utensils.
Common Problems when Growing Turmeric
Like all plants, turmeric is susceptible to some pests, diseases and other problems. Below is a list of the most common problems gardeners encounter when growing turmeric plants:
Bacterial leaf spot is a disease that causes irregularly shaped brown spots on all above-ground parts of a plant. The spots at first appear to be wet but become dry and scab-like over time. Leaves and flowers can fall prematurely. Water plants at soil level (not on the leaves), dispose of fallen leaves and fruit and practice crop rotation.
Fusarium wilt and verticillium wilt are diseases caused by soil-borne fungi. The fungi enter a plants’ roots and prevent water and nutrients from moving through plants. Leaves and branches will wilt, dry off and die and leaves may yellow. There is no cure for wilt but choosing resistant varieties, disposing of affected plants and soil, practicing good garden hygiene and crop rotation will all help to prevent it spreading.
Rotten rhizomes are caused by pathogens entering bulbs after sitting in cold, wet soil, being temporarily waterlogged or being exposed to warm temperatures in winter. Rhizomes may show obvious signs of rot, have no roots or shoots, or produce stunted yellow leaves but no flowers. Plant rhizomes in free-draining soil, raised garden beds or containers at the recommended depth; do not overwater rhizomes before shoots emerge.
