Daily tips Plant of the day What's on What to plant Garden help

Home › What to plant › Durban

Durban, KwaZulu-Natal · vegetable planting calendar

What to plant now in Durban

This month's sowing list for Durban, 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

32 of them are at their best time to start. Durban has no frost in a normal year.

Quick, easy wins this month: radish, pak choy, rocket, spring onion, beetroot and lettuce.

Sow or plant in Durban in October

Sow in a tray

  • Baby marrow
  • Basil
  • Cabbage
  • Chilli
  • Chives
  • Cucumber
  • Eggplant (brinjal)
  • Kale
  • Parsley
  • Pumpkin
  • Sweet melon (spanspek)
  • Sweet pepper
  • Sweetcorn
  • Tomato
  • Watermelon

Sow in the ground

  • Baby marrow
  • Basil
  • Beetroot
  • Carrot
  • Chives
  • Climbing beans
  • Cucumber
  • Dill
  • Dwarf beans
  • Kale
  • Lettuce
  • Pak choy
  • Parsley
  • Pumpkin
  • Radish
  • Rocket
  • Runner beans
  • Spring onion
  • Sweet melon (spanspek)
  • Sweetcorn
  • Swiss chard
  • Watermelon
  • Coriander
  • Okra
  • Peas
  • Turnip

Plant out

  • Baby marrow
  • Basil
  • Cabbage
  • Celery
  • Chilli
  • Chives
  • Cucumber
  • Eggplant (brinjal)
  • Kale
  • Leek
  • Parsley
  • Potato
  • Pumpkin
  • Strawberry
  • Sweet melon (spanspek)
  • Sweet pepper
  • Sweet potato
  • Sweetcorn
  • Tomato
  • Watermelon
  • Broccoli
  • Celeriac

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

Last month to start: broccoli, celeriac, coriander, peas, runner beans, strawberry and turnip.

Ready to pick in October

  • Baby marrow
  • Basil
  • Beetroot
  • Broad beans
  • Broccoli
  • Cabbage
  • Carrot
  • Cauliflower
  • Celeriac
  • Celery
  • Chilli
  • Chives
  • Climbing beans
  • Coriander
  • Cucumber
  • Dill
  • Dwarf beans
  • Kale
  • Leek
  • Lettuce
  • Onion
  • Pak choy
  • Parsley
  • Parsnip
  • Peas
  • Potato
  • Pumpkin
  • Radish
  • Rocket
  • Runner beans
  • Spinach
  • Spring onion
  • Strawberry
  • Swede
  • Sweet pepper
  • Sweetcorn
  • Swiss chard
  • Tomato
  • Turnip

Coming up in November

Nothing new starts in November. This month's list carries on.

When to plant the favourites in Durban

Tomato

Tomatoes

Sow in a tray: All year.

Plant out: All year.

Best time to start: All year.

Pick: All year.

First pick about 18 weeks after starting.

Potato

Potatoes

Plant: March to December.

Best time to start: March to October.

Pick: All year.

First pick about 10 weeks after starting.

Garlic

Garlic

Plant: May to June.

Best time to start: May to June.

Pick: November to January.

First pick about 24 weeks after starting.

Lettuce

Lettuce

Sow in the ground: March to November.

Best time to start: March to October.

Pick: April to January.

First pick about 6 weeks after starting.

Carrot

Carrots

Sow in the ground: All year.

Best time to start: February to November.

Pick: All year.

First pick about 7 weeks after starting.

Dwarf beans

Bush beans

Sow in the ground: All year.

Best time to start: All year.

Pick: All year.

First pick about 8 weeks after starting.

Onion

Onions

Sow in a tray: February to August.

Plant out: April to September.

Best time to start: April to September.

Pick: June to January.

First pick about 20 weeks after starting.

Strawberry

Strawberries

Plant: April to October.

Best time to start: April to October.

Pick: July to April.

First pick about 15 weeks after starting.

Pumpkin

Pumpkins

Sow in a tray: All year.

Sow in the ground: All year.

Plant out: All year.

Best time to start: All year.

Pick: All year.

First pick about 15 weeks after starting.

Baby marrow

Baby marrows

Sow in a tray: All year.

Sow in the ground: All year.

Plant out: All year.

Best time to start: All year.

Pick: All year.

First pick about 8 weeks after starting.

The planting year in Durban

VegetableONDJFMAMJJASFirst pick
Baby marrowSSSSSSSSSSSSabout 8 weeks
BasilSSSSSSSSSPSSabout 8 weeks
BeetrootSSSSSSSSSSSSabout 6 weeks
Broad beansSSSSabout 10 weeks
BroccoliPTPPPPPPPPabout 12 weeks
Brussels sproutsTTPPPPabout 19 weeks
CabbagePPPTPPPPPPPPabout 13 weeks
CarrotSSSSSSSSSSSSabout 7 weeks
CauliflowerTTPPPPPPabout 14 weeks
CeleriacPTTPPPPPPPabout 22 weeks
CeleryPPTTPPPPPPPabout 20 weeks
ChilliPPPPPPPTPPPPabout 19 weeks
ChivesSSSSSSSSSSSSabout 8 weeks
Climbing beansSSSSSSSSSSSSabout 10 weeks
CorianderSSSSSSSSabout 5 weeks
CucumberSSSSSSSSSSSSabout 8 weeks
DillSSSSSSSSSSSabout 5 weeks
Dwarf beansSSSSSSSSSSSSabout 8 weeks
Eggplant (brinjal)PPPPPPTTPabout 18 weeks
GarlicPPabout 24 weeks
KaleSSSTSSSSSSSSabout 6 weeks
LeekPPTTPPPPPPPabout 18 weeks
LettuceSSSSSSSSSabout 6 weeks
OkraSSSSSSabout 7 weeks
OnionTTPPPPPPabout 20 weeks
Pak choySSSSSSSSSSSSabout 4 weeks
ParsleySSSSSSSSSSSSabout 7 weeks
ParsnipSSSSSSSabout 13 weeks
PeasSSSSSSSSabout 7 weeks
PotatoPPPPPPPPPPabout 10 weeks
PumpkinSSSSSSSSSSSSabout 15 weeks
RadishSSSSSSSSSSSSabout 3 weeks
RocketSSSSSSSSSabout 4 weeks
Runner beansSSSSSSSSSabout 11 weeks
SpinachSSSSSSabout 5 weeks
Spring onionSSSSSSSSSSSSabout 5 weeks
StrawberryPPPPPPPabout 15 weeks
SwedeSSSSSSabout 11 weeks
Sweet melon (spanspek)SSSSSSTSabout 10 weeks
Sweet pepperPPPPPPPPPPPPabout 18 weeks
Sweet potatoPPPPPPabout 13 weeks
SweetcornSSSSSSSSSSSSabout 11 weeks
Swiss chardSSSSSSSSSSSSabout 6 weeks
TomatoPPPPPPPPPPPPabout 18 weeks
TurnipSSSSSSSSabout 6 weeks
WatermelonSSSSSPTPabout 10 weeks

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

Durban season by season

Spring September to November

Time to start: okra and sweet potato.

Last chance for: broccoli, celeriac, celery, coriander, leek, lettuce, onion, parsnip, peas, rocket, runner beans, spinach, strawberry and turnip.

Summer December to February

Time to start: broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, celeriac, celery, dill, leek, onion and runner beans.

Last chance for: dill, potato and sweet potato.

Autumn March to May

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

Last chance for: eggplant (brinjal), okra, sweet melon (spanspek) and watermelon.

Winter June to August

Time to start: eggplant (brinjal), sweet melon (spanspek) and watermelon.

Last chance for: broad beans, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, garlic and swede.

Any time of year: baby marrow, basil, beetroot, cabbage, carrot, chilli, chives, climbing beans, cucumber, dwarf beans, kale, pak choy, parsley, pumpkin, radish, spring onion, sweet pepper, sweetcorn, Swiss chard and tomato.

Frost in Durban

Durban has no frost in a normal year, so there is no last-frost date to wait for. Cool nights, not frost, decide when the summer vegetables go in.

Questions about planting in Durban

What can I plant now in Durban?

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

When should I plant tomatoes in Durban?

In Durban, tomatoes can be started in any month of the year. Picking runs all year round.

When should I plant potatoes in Durban?

In Durban, plant potatoes from March to December. The best time to start is from March to October. Picking runs all year round.

When should I plant garlic in Durban?

In Durban, plant garlic from May to June. The best time to start is from May to June. Picking runs from November to January.

When is the last frost in Durban?

Durban has no frost in a normal year, so there is no last-frost date to wait for.

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

Baby marrow, basil, beetroot, cabbage, carrot, chilli, chives, climbing beans, cucumber, dwarf beans, kale, pak choy, parsley, pumpkin, radish, spring onion, sweet pepper, sweetcorn, Swiss chard and tomato can be started in Durban in every month of the year.

Which vegetables are quickest to grow in Durban?

The quick ones are radish (about 3 weeks), pak choy (about 4 weeks), rocket (about 4 weeks), coriander (about 5 weeks), spinach (about 5 weeks), spring onion (about 5 weeks), beetroot (about 6 weeks) and lettuce (about 6 weeks). The time is from starting to the first pick.

Other cities

What to plant now in Cape Town · What to plant now in Johannesburg

These dates are estimates for general guidance, based on the usual weather in Durban. 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).

Your garden, remembered

Bozlea keeps your own planting calendar, warns you before a frost and remembers what you grew. Free to start. No card needed.

Open Bozlea