September planting – Australian zones

September planting – Australian zones

Subtropical and warm temperate climates planning guide

Amaranth spinach

Arrowroot

Asian cabbages

Asian salad greens

Asparagus

Beetroot

Capsicum

Carrots

Cassava

Celery-stem taro

Ceylon spinach

Chicory

Chilli

Choko

Chrysanthemum greens

Coffee

Cucumber

Eggplant

Egyptian Spinach

Garden Sorrel

Hibiscus Spinach

Horseradish

Jicama

Kale

Kohlrabi

Lettuce

Mangel wurzel

Moringa

Okra

Perilla

Pineapple

Potatoes

Pumpkin

Radish

Rocket

Rockmelon

Rosela

Silver beet

Squash

Surinam spinach

Sweet leaf

Sweet potato

Taro

Tea

Tomatoes

Vietnamese mint

Warrigal greens

Water chesnut

Water spinach

Watercress

Watermelon

Yacon

Zucchini

Tropical climate planting guide

Amaranth spinach

Arrowhead

Arrowroot

Asian cabbages

Asian salad greens

Asparagus

Beans

Beetroot

Capsicum

Carrots

Cassava

Cauliflower

Celery-stem taro

Chicory

Chilli

Choko

Chrysanthemum greens

Coffee

cucumber

Eggplant

English spinach

Garden Sorrel

Hibiscus spinach

Kohlrabi

Lettuce

Okra

Pineapple

Pumpkin

Radish

Rockmelon

Rosella

Strawberry

Surinam spinach

Sweet corn

Sweet leaf

Sweet potato

Taro

Tea

Tomatoes

Vietnamese mint

Water spinach

Watermelon

Yams

Temperate and cool climates planting guide

Amaranth spinach

Arrowhead

Artichoke (Globe and Jerusalem)

Asian cabbages

Asian salad greens

Asparagus

Beans

Broad beans

Broccoli

Brussels sprouts

Cabbage

Capsicum

Cauliflower

Celeriac

Celery

Chicory

Chilli

Chrysanthemum greens

Cucumber

Endive

Florence fennel

French sorrel

Garden sorrel

Garlic

Horseradish

Kale

Kohlrabi

Lettuce

Mangel wurzel

Nasturtium

New Zealand yam

Onions

Parsnip

Peas

Perilla

Peruvian parsnip

Potatoes

Radish

Rhubarb

Rocket

Silver beet

Spinach

Squash

Strawberry

Surinam spinach

Swede

Tomatoes

Turnip

Water chesnut

Watercress

Dry Temperate (Mediterranean) climate planting guide

Amaranth spinach

Arrowroot

Artichoke (globe)

Artichoke (Jerusalem)

Asian cabbage

Asian salad greens

Asparagus

Beans

Beetroot

Broccoli

Brussels Sprouts

Cabbage

Capsicum

Carrots

Cassava

Cauliflower

Celery

Celery-stem taro

Ceylon spinach

Chicory

Chrysanthemum greens

Cucumber

Eggplant

Endive

Florence Fennel

French sorrel

Garlic

Horseradish

Jicama

Kale

Kohlrabi

Leeks

Lettuce

Mangel wurzel

Moringa

Nasturtium

New Zealand yam

Onions

Peas

Perilla

Potatoes

Pumpkin

Radish

Rhubarb

Rocket

Rockmelon

Rosella

Silverbeet

Spinach

Squash

Strawberry

Surinam spinach

Swede

Tea

Tomatoes

Turnip

Vietnamese mint

Warrigal greens

Water chesnut

Water spinach

Watercress

Watermelon

Semi-arid and arid climates planting guide

Amaranth spinach

Arrowhead

Arrowroot

Artichoke (globe)

Artichoke (Jerusalem)

Asian cabbages

Asian salad greens

Asparagus

Beans

Beetroot

Cabbage

Capsicum

Carrots

Cassava

Cauliflower

Celery

Celery-stem taro

Ceylon spinach

Chicory

Chilli

Chrysanthemum greens

Cucumber

Eggplant

Egyptian Spinach

Florence fennel

Garden Sorrel

Garlic

jicama

Kale

Kohlrabi

Leeks

Lettuce

Mangel Wurzel

Moringa

Nasturtium

Okra

Onions

Peas

Perilla

Peruvian parsnip

Potatoes

Pumpkin

Radish

Rocket

Rockmelon

Rosella

Silver beet

Squash

Strawberry

Surinam spinach

Swede

Sweet corn

Sweet leaf

Sweet potato

Tomatoes

Vietnamese mint

Warrigal greens

Water chestnut

Watercress

Watermelon

Yacon

Zucchini

What is my zone?

So many times as a child I would witness my mother going on a trip and returning home with all types of plants and cuttings that she eagerly planted in the garden, only to watch them wither and die, or flourish until the winter frosts arrived and blackened the poor struggling plants.

Now I realise that part of my mother’s error was to fall in love in a plant that looked lovely in one climate zone, but was unsuitable for the zone where we gardened. A better understanding of the various climatic zones would have resulted in more success for my mother.

There are a number of climate zones:

• Tropical
• Subtropical and warm temperate
• Semi-arid and arid
• Dry temperate (Mediterranean)
• Temperate and cool

Each zone or climate has its own characteristics, obviously, and so will dictate what you can plant and when.

• Tropical

Distinct wet and dry seasons

Rainfall up to 4000mm per year, mostly falling during summer

An average winter daytime temperature of 30 Celsius

An average summer daytime temperature of 32 Celsius

Equal hours of daylight and darkness, regardless of season.

           

• Subtropical and warm temperate

Some distinct seasonal changes

Rainfall of up to 1200mm per year, mostly during the summer

An average winter daytime temperature of 10-20 Celsius

An average summer daytime temperature of 20-30 Celsius

Mid-winter day length minimum of 9.5 hours ( 14.5 hours of darkness)

• Semi-arid and arid

Hot days in summer and cold nights in winter

Rainfall of more than 250-500 mm per year, mostly during the summer

An average winter daytime temperature of 20-33 Celsius

An average summer daytime temperature of 34 Celsius

Mid-winter day length of 10.5 hours (13.5 hours of darkness)

• Dry temperate (Mediterranean)

Hot, dry summer

Rainfall of more than 600-800 mm per year, mostly falling in the winter

An average winter daytime temperature of 15-18 Celsius

An average summer daytime temperature of 30-33 Celsius

Mid-winter day length of 10.5 hours (13.5 hours of darkness)

• Temperate and cool

Winter frost and/or significant snowfall possible in some regions

Rainfall of more than 600-10000 mm per year, depending on latitude and distance from the coast

An average winter daytime temperature of 5 and 13 Celsius

An average summer daytime temperature of 16 and 26 Celsius

Mid-winter day length of 8.5 hours (15.5 hours of darkness)

Source: Annette McFarlane, Organic Vegetable Gardening,