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Adelaide, SA · vegetable planting calendar

What to plant now in Adelaide

This month's sowing list for Adelaide, what is ready to pick, when to plant the favourites, the planting year at a glance and the local frost dates.

October

38 vegetables to sow or plant now

35 of them are at their best time to start. Frost is rare in Adelaide, and over by about 13 August.

Quick, easy wins this month: radish, pak choy, rocket, basil, beetroot and coriander.

Sow or plant in Adelaide in October

Sow in a tray

  • Basil
  • Cabbage
  • Capsicum
  • Celery
  • Chilli
  • Chives
  • Cucumber
  • Eggplant
  • Kale
  • Leek
  • Parsley
  • Pumpkin
  • Rockmelon
  • Sweet corn
  • Tomato
  • Zucchini

Sow in the ground

  • Beetroot
  • Bush beans
  • Carrot
  • Chives
  • Climbing beans
  • Coriander
  • Cucumber
  • Dill
  • Kale
  • Lettuce
  • Pak choy
  • Parsley
  • Peas
  • Pumpkin
  • Radish
  • Rocket
  • Runner beans
  • Silverbeet
  • Spinach
  • Spring onion
  • Sweet corn
  • Turnip
  • Zucchini
  • Parsnip

Plant out

  • Basil
  • Broccoli
  • Cabbage
  • Capsicum
  • Celery
  • Chilli
  • Chives
  • Cucumber
  • Eggplant
  • Kale
  • Leek
  • Onion
  • Parsley
  • Potato
  • Pumpkin
  • Strawberry
  • Sweet corn
  • Tomato
  • Zucchini
  • Celeriac

Names with a dashed outline can be started now, but it is not their best time.

Last month to start: celeriac, parsnip, runner beans and spinach.

Ready to pick in October

  • Beetroot
  • Broad beans
  • Broccoli
  • Brussels sprouts
  • Cabbage
  • Carrot
  • Cauliflower
  • Celeriac
  • Celery
  • Chives
  • Coriander
  • Dill
  • Garlic
  • Kale
  • Leek
  • Lettuce
  • Onion
  • Pak choy
  • Parsley
  • Parsnip
  • Peas
  • Radish
  • Rocket
  • Silverbeet
  • Spinach
  • Spring onion
  • Strawberry
  • Swede
  • Turnip

Coming up in November

  • Watermelon

When to plant the favourites in Adelaide

Tomato

Tomatoes

Sow in a tray: August to December.

Plant out: September to February.

Best time to start: September to January.

Pick: December to May.

First pick about 17 weeks after starting.

Potato

Potatoes

Plant: July to April.

Best time to start: July to April.

Pick: November to August.

First pick about 11 weeks after starting.

Garlic

Garlic

Plant: April to June.

Best time to start: April to June.

Pick: September to January.

First pick about 24 weeks after starting.

Lettuce

Lettuce

Sow in the ground: February to November.

Best time to start: February to November.

Pick: March to January.

First pick about 7 weeks after starting.

Carrot

Carrots

Sow in the ground: All year.

Best time to start: January to November.

Pick: All year.

First pick about 9 weeks after starting.

Bush beans

Bush beans

Sow in the ground: August to March.

Best time to start: August to March.

Pick: November to June.

First pick about 8 weeks after starting.

Onion

Onions

Sow in a tray: January to September.

Plant out: March to November.

Best time to start: March to November.

Pick: September to February.

First pick about 25 weeks after starting.

Strawberry

Strawberries

Plant: March to November.

Best time to start: March to November.

Pick: October to May.

First pick about 20 weeks after starting.

Pumpkin

Pumpkins

Sow in a tray: August to January.

Sow in the ground: October to January.

Plant out: September to February.

Best time to start: September to January.

Pick: January to May.

First pick about 14 weeks after starting.

Zucchini

Zucchini

Sow in a tray: August to March.

Sow in the ground: October to March.

Plant out: September to March.

Best time to start: September to February.

Pick: November to May.

First pick about 7 weeks after starting.

The planting year in Adelaide

VegetableONDJFMAMJJASFirst pick
BasilPSSSSPTabout 7 weeks
BeetrootSSSSSSSSSSSSabout 7 weeks
Broad beansSSSSSSabout 14 weeks
BroccoliPPTPPPPPPPPabout 14 weeks
Brussels sproutsTTPPPPPabout 25 weeks
Bush beansSSSSSSSSabout 8 weeks
CabbagePPPPPPPPPPPPabout 14 weeks
CapsicumPPPPTTabout 17 weeks
CarrotSSSSSSSSSSSSabout 9 weeks
CauliflowerTPPPPPPPPabout 18 weeks
CeleriacPTTPPPPPPPabout 27 weeks
CeleryPPPTPPPPPPPPabout 23 weeks
ChilliPPPPTTabout 19 weeks
ChivesSSSSSSSSSSSSabout 9 weeks
Climbing beansSSSSSSSabout 10 weeks
CorianderSSSSSSSSSabout 7 weeks
CucumberSSSSSPTabout 7 weeks
DillSSSSSSSSSSSSabout 6 weeks
EggplantPPPPTTabout 18 weeks
GarlicPPPabout 24 weeks
KaleSSSSSSSSSSSSabout 7 weeks
LeekPPPPPPPPPPPPabout 20 weeks
LettuceSSSSSSSSSSabout 7 weeks
OkraSSabout 7 weeks
OnionPPTTPPPPPPPabout 25 weeks
Pak choySSSSSSSSSSSSabout 5 weeks
ParsleySSSSSSSSSSSSabout 9 weeks
ParsnipSSSSSSSSabout 18 weeks
PeasSSSSSSSSSabout 10 weeks
PotatoPPPPPPPPPPabout 11 weeks
PumpkinSSSSPTPabout 14 weeks
RadishSSSSSSSSSSSSabout 3 weeks
RocketSSSSSSSSSSSabout 5 weeks
RockmelonTSSSabout 10 weeks
Runner beansSSSSabout 10 weeks
SilverbeetSSSSSSSSSSSSabout 7 weeks
SpinachSSSSSSSSabout 7 weeks
Spring onionSSSSSSSSSSSSabout 7 weeks
StrawberryPPPPPPPPPabout 20 weeks
SwedeSSSSSSSabout 16 weeks
Sweet cornSSSSSTSabout 10 weeks
Sweet potatoPabout 13 weeks
TomatoPPPPPTPabout 17 weeks
TurnipSSSSSSSSSSabout 8 weeks
WatermelonPSSabout 11 weeks
ZucchiniSSSSSSTPabout 7 weeks

The chart starts at October. "First pick" is the usual time from starting to the first harvest.

Adelaide season by season

Spring September to November

Time to start: basil, cucumber, rockmelon, runner beans and watermelon.

Last chance for: broad beans, broccoli, cauliflower, celeriac, coriander, lettuce, onion, parsnip, peas, runner beans, spinach, strawberry, swede and turnip.

Summer December to February

Time to start: broccoli, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, celeriac, lettuce, okra, onion, rocket, runner beans, sweet potato and turnip.

Last chance for: capsicum, chilli, climbing beans, eggplant, okra, pumpkin, rocket, rockmelon, runner beans, sweet corn, sweet potato, tomato and watermelon.

Autumn March to May

Time to start: broad beans, coriander, garlic, parsnip, peas, spinach, strawberry and swede.

Last chance for: basil, bush beans, cucumber, potato and zucchini.

Winter June to August

Time to start: bush beans, capsicum, chilli, climbing beans, eggplant, potato, pumpkin, sweet corn, tomato and zucchini.

Last chance for: brussels sprouts and garlic.

Any time of year: beetroot, cabbage, carrot, celery, chives, dill, kale, leek, pak choy, parsley, radish, silverbeet and spring onion.

Frost in Adelaide

Frost nights in a year
about 1, none in some winters
Safe to plant frost-tender vegetables
from about 13 August

Frost is rare in Adelaide and light when it comes. A low corner where cold air settles is where it shows up first.

Questions about planting in Adelaide

What can I plant now in Adelaide?

In October, 38 vegetables can be sown or planted in Adelaide, including basil, beetroot, broccoli, bush beans, cabbage, capsicum, carrot and celeriac. The full list is at the top of this page and changes every month.

When should I plant tomatoes in Adelaide?

In Adelaide, sow tomatoes in a tray from August to December and plant them out from September to February. The best time to start is from September to January. Picking runs from December to May.

When should I plant potatoes in Adelaide?

In Adelaide, plant potatoes from July to April. The best time to start is from July to April. Picking runs from November to August.

When should I plant garlic in Adelaide?

In Adelaide, plant garlic from April to June. The best time to start is from April to June. Picking runs from September to January.

When is the last frost in Adelaide?

Frost is rare in Adelaide: about 1 night in a typical year, and none at all in some winters. Frost-tender vegetables are safe from about 13 August.

What can I plant at any time of year in Adelaide?

Beetroot, cabbage, carrot, celery, chives, dill, kale, leek, pak choy, parsley, radish, silverbeet and spring onion can be started in Adelaide in every month of the year.

Which vegetables are quickest to grow in Adelaide?

The quick ones are radish (about 3 weeks), pak choy (about 5 weeks), rocket (about 5 weeks), basil (about 7 weeks), beetroot (about 7 weeks), coriander (about 7 weeks), cucumber (about 7 weeks) and lettuce (about 7 weeks). The time is from starting to the first pick.

Other cities

What to plant now in Sydney · What to plant now in Melbourne · What to plant now in Brisbane · What to plant now in Perth · What to plant now in Canberra · What to plant now in Hobart

These dates are estimates for general guidance, based on the usual weather in Adelaide. Seasons vary from year to year, so check the seed packet and local advice as well.
Temperatures: Source: Meteostat and its data providers (CC BY 4.0). Crop temperature ranges checked against FAO ECOCROP (CC BY 4.0).

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