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Geelong, Vic · vegetable planting calendar

What to plant now in Geelong

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

October

37 vegetables to sow or plant now

29 of them are at their best time to start. The last frost is usually around 27 September; tender plants are safe from about 12 October.

Quick, easy wins this month: radish, rocket, coriander, pak choy, spinach and lettuce.

Sow or plant in Geelong in October

Sow in a tray

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

Sow in the ground

  • Beetroot
  • Bush beans
  • Carrot
  • Chives
  • Climbing beans
  • Coriander
  • Dill
  • Kale
  • Lettuce
  • Pak choy
  • Parsley
  • Parsnip
  • Peas
  • Radish
  • Rocket
  • Silverbeet
  • Spinach
  • Spring onion
  • Turnip
  • Broad beans
  • Swede

Plant out

  • Broccoli
  • Cabbage
  • Celeriac
  • Celery
  • Chives
  • Kale
  • Leek
  • Onion
  • Parsley
  • Potato
  • Pumpkin
  • Strawberry
  • Tomato
  • Cauliflower

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

Last month to start: broad beans, cauliflower and swede.

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
  • Swede
  • Turnip

Coming up in November

  • Basil
  • Runner beans

When to plant the favourites in Geelong

Tomato

Tomatoes

Sow in a tray: September to November.

Plant out: October to January.

Best time to start: October to December.

Pick: February to April.

First pick about 20 weeks after starting.

Potato

Potatoes

Plant: September to February.

Best time to start: September to February.

Pick: December to July.

First pick about 11 weeks after starting.

Garlic

Garlic

Plant: April to June.

Best time to start: April to June.

Pick: October to January.

First pick about 24 weeks after starting.

Lettuce

Lettuce

Sow in the ground: All year.

Best time to start: July to April.

Pick: All year.

First pick about 8 weeks after starting.

Carrot

Carrots

Sow in the ground: All year.

Best time to start: July to April.

Pick: All year.

First pick about 11 weeks after starting.

Bush beans

Bush beans

Sow in the ground: October to February.

Best time to start: October to January.

Pick: January to May.

First pick about 9 weeks after starting.

Onion

Onions

Sow in a tray: All year.

Plant out: February to December.

Best time to start: February to December.

Pick: June and October to April.

First pick about 27 weeks after starting.

Strawberry

Strawberries

Plant: All year.

Best time to start: All year.

Pick: November to August.

First pick about 22 weeks after starting.

Pumpkin

Pumpkins

Sow in a tray: October to December.

Sow in the ground: November to December.

Plant out: October to January.

Best time to start: October to December.

Pick: February to May.

First pick about 17 weeks after starting.

Zucchini

Zucchini

Sow in a tray: October to February.

Sow in the ground: November to February.

Plant out: November to February.

Best time to start: November to January.

Pick: December to April.

First pick about 8 weeks after starting.

The planting year in Geelong

VegetableONDJFMAMJJASFirst pick
BasilTSSPabout 9 weeks
BeetrootSSSSSSSSSSSSabout 9 weeks
Broad beansSSSSSSSSabout 16 weeks
BroccoliPPPPPPPPPPPPabout 14 weeks
Brussels sproutsTPPPPPPPPabout 28 weeks
Bush beansSSSSSabout 9 weeks
CabbagePPPPPPPPPPPPabout 17 weeks
CapsicumTPPTabout 20 weeks
CarrotSSSSSSSSSSSSabout 11 weeks
CauliflowerPTPPPPPPPPPabout 19 weeks
CeleriacPPPPPPPPPPPPabout 27 weeks
CeleryPPPPPPPPPPPPabout 24 weeks
ChilliTPPTabout 21 weeks
ChivesSSSSSSSSSSSSabout 12 weeks
Climbing beansSSSSSabout 11 weeks
CorianderSSSSSSSSSSSSabout 7 weeks
CucumberTSSSPabout 9 weeks
DillSSSSSSSSSSSSabout 7 weeks
GarlicPPPabout 24 weeks
KaleSSSSSSSSSSSSabout 9 weeks
LeekPPPPPPPPPPPPabout 22 weeks
LettuceSSSSSSSSSSSSabout 8 weeks
OnionPPPTPPPPPPPPabout 27 weeks
Pak choySSSSSSSSSSSSabout 7 weeks
ParsleySSSSSSSSSSSSabout 11 weeks
ParsnipSSSSSSSSSSSSabout 17 weeks
PeasSSSSSSSSSSSSabout 10 weeks
PotatoPPPPPPabout 11 weeks
PumpkinPSSPabout 17 weeks
RadishSSSSSSSSSSSSabout 4 weeks
RocketSSSSSSSSSSSSabout 5 weeks
Runner beansSSSabout 11 weeks
SilverbeetSSSSSSSSSSSSabout 9 weeks
SpinachSSSSSSSSSSSabout 7 weeks
Spring onionSSSSSSSSSSSSabout 9 weeks
StrawberryPPPPPPPPPPPPabout 22 weeks
SwedeSSSSSSSSSSSabout 15 weeks
Sweet cornTSSSabout 12 weeks
TomatoPPPPTabout 20 weeks
TurnipSSSSSSSSSSSSabout 8 weeks
ZucchiniTSSSSabout 8 weeks

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

Geelong season by season

Spring September to November

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

Last chance for: broad beans, cauliflower and swede.

Summer December to February

Time to start: brussels sprouts, cauliflower, spinach and swede.

Last chance for: basil, bush beans, capsicum, chilli, climbing beans, cucumber, potato, pumpkin, runner beans, spinach, sweet corn, tomato and zucchini.

Autumn March to May

Time to start: broad beans and garlic.

Last chance for: nothing closes.

Winter June to August

Time to start: nothing new.

Last chance for: brussels sprouts and garlic.

Any time of year: beetroot, broccoli, cabbage, carrot, celeriac, celery, chives, coriander, dill, kale, leek, lettuce, onion, pak choy, parsley, parsnip, peas, radish, rocket, silverbeet, spring onion, strawberry and turnip.

Frost in Geelong

Last frost, most years
around 27 September
Safe to plant frost-tender vegetables
from about 12 October
First frost, most years
around 30 May
Frost-free days in a year
about 245

These dates are on the careful side. Many gardeners plant a few weeks earlier and cover young plants on cold nights. A low corner where cold air settles runs later. Tomatoes, capsicum, beans, zucchini, pumpkin and basil are the ones to hold back or cover.

Harder to grow in Geelong

Needs a greenhouse or a warm, sheltered spot: eggplant, okra, rockmelon, sweet potato and watermelon.

Questions about planting in Geelong

What can I plant now in Geelong?

In October, 37 vegetables can be sown or planted in Geelong, including beetroot, broad beans, broccoli, bush beans, cabbage, capsicum, carrot and cauliflower. The full list is at the top of this page and changes every month.

When should I plant tomatoes in Geelong?

In Geelong, sow tomatoes in a tray from September to November and plant them out from October to January. The best time to start is from October to December. Picking runs from February to April.

When should I plant potatoes in Geelong?

In Geelong, plant potatoes from September to February. The best time to start is from September to February. Picking runs from December to July.

When should I plant garlic in Geelong?

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

When is the last frost in Geelong?

In most years the last frost in Geelong comes around 27 September. Frost-tender vegetables are safe from about 12 October. The first frost of the cold season usually arrives around 30 May.

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

Beetroot, broccoli, cabbage, carrot, celeriac, celery, chives, coriander, dill, kale, leek, lettuce, onion, pak choy, parsley, parsnip, peas, radish, rocket, silverbeet, spring onion, strawberry and turnip can be started in Geelong in every month of the year.

Which vegetables are quickest to grow in Geelong?

The quick ones are radish (about 4 weeks), rocket (about 5 weeks), coriander (about 7 weeks), pak choy (about 7 weeks), spinach (about 7 weeks), lettuce (about 8 weeks), turnip (about 8 weeks) and zucchini (about 8 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 Adelaide · What to plant now in Canberra · What to plant now in Hobart · What to plant now in Toowoomba · What to plant now in Newcastle · What to plant now in Wollongong · What to plant now in Central Coast · What to plant now in Blue Mountains · What to plant now in Bathurst · What to plant now in Orange · What to plant now in Albury · What to plant now in Ballarat · What to plant now in Bendigo · What to plant now in Launceston

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