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Wellington, New Zealand · vegetable planting calendar

What to plant now in Wellington

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

October

35 vegetables to sow or plant now

32 of them are at their best time to start. Frost is rare in Wellington; tender plants are safe from about 19 August.

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

Sow or plant in Wellington in October

Sow in a tray

  • Broccoli
  • Cabbage
  • Cauliflower
  • Celeriac
  • Celery
  • Chives
  • Kale
  • Leek
  • Onion
  • Parsley
  • Pumpkin
  • Sweet corn
  • Tomato
  • Zucchini

Sow in the ground

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

Plant out

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

Ready to pick in October

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

Coming up in November

  • Basil
  • Brussels sprouts
  • Cucumber

When to plant the favourites in Wellington

Tomato

Tomatoes

Sow in a tray: September to November.

Plant out: November to January.

Best time to start: November.

Pick: February to April.

First pick about 22 weeks after starting.

Potato

Potatoes

Plant: July to March.

Best time to start: July to March.

Pick: November to August.

First pick about 14 weeks after starting.

Garlic

Garlic

Plant: May to July.

Best time to start: May to July.

Pick: November to January.

First pick about 24 weeks after starting.

Lettuce

Lettuce

Sow in the ground: All year.

Best time to start: July to May.

Pick: All year.

First pick about 9 weeks after starting.

Carrot

Carrots

Sow in the ground: All year.

Best time to start: July to May.

Pick: All year.

First pick about 12 weeks after starting.

Bush beans

Bush beans

Sow in the ground: October to February.

Best time to start: October to February.

Pick: January to May.

First pick about 11 weeks after starting.

Onion

Onions

Sow in a tray: All year.

Plant out: All year.

Best time to start: All year.

Pick: November to July.

First pick about 27 weeks after starting.

Strawberry

Strawberries

Plant: March to January.

Best time to start: March to January.

Pick: November to August.

First pick about 24 weeks after starting.

Pumpkin

Pumpkins

Sow in a tray: October to December.

Sow in the ground: November to December.

Plant out: November to January.

Best time to start: November to December.

Pick: March to May.

First pick about 19 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 February.

Pick: January to May.

First pick about 9 weeks after starting.

The planting year in Wellington

VegetableONDJFMAMJJASFirst pick
BasilTPSPabout 11 weeks
BeetrootSSSSSSSSSSSSabout 9 weeks
Broad beansSSSSSSSSSSabout 15 weeks
BroccoliPPPPPPPPPPPPabout 15 weeks
Brussels sproutsTPPPPPPPPPPabout 27 weeks
Bush beansSSSSSabout 11 weeks
CabbagePPPPPPPPPPPPabout 17 weeks
CarrotSSSSSSSSSSSSabout 12 weeks
CauliflowerPPPPPPPPPPPPabout 18 weeks
CeleriacPPPPPPPPPPPPabout 29 weeks
CeleryPPPPPPPPPPPPabout 26 weeks
ChivesSSSSSSSSSSSSabout 12 weeks
Climbing beansSSSSabout 13 weeks
CorianderSSSSSSSSSSSSabout 7 weeks
CucumberTSSabout 11 weeks
DillSSSSSSSSSSSSabout 8 weeks
GarlicPPPabout 24 weeks
KaleSSSSSSSSSSSSabout 9 weeks
LeekPPPPPPPPPPPPabout 24 weeks
LettuceSSSSSSSSSSSSabout 9 weeks
OnionPPPPPPPPPPPPabout 27 weeks
Pak choySSSSSSSSSSSSabout 7 weeks
ParsleySSSSSSSSSSSSabout 12 weeks
ParsnipSSSSSSSSSSSSabout 18 weeks
PeasSSSSSSSSSSSSabout 11 weeks
PotatoPPPPPPPPPabout 14 weeks
PumpkinTSSPabout 19 weeks
RadishSSSSSSSSSSSSabout 4 weeks
RocketSSSSSSSSSSSSabout 5 weeks
Runner beansSSSSabout 13 weeks
SilverbeetSSSSSSSSSSSSabout 9 weeks
SpinachSSSSSSSSSSSSabout 7 weeks
Spring onionSSSSSSSSSSSSabout 9 weeks
StrawberryPPPPPPPPPPPabout 24 weeks
SwedeSSSSSSSSSSSSabout 15 weeks
Sweet cornSSSSabout 15 weeks
TomatoTPPPTabout 22 weeks
TurnipSSSSSSSSSSSSabout 9 weeks
ZucchiniTSSSSabout 9 weeks

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

Wellington season by season

Spring September to November

Time to start: basil, brussels sprouts, bush beans, climbing beans, cucumber, pumpkin, runner beans, sweet corn, tomato and zucchini.

Last chance for: brussels sprouts.

Summer December to February

Time to start: nothing new.

Last chance for: basil, broad beans, bush beans, climbing beans, cucumber, pumpkin, runner beans, strawberry, sweet corn, tomato and zucchini.

Autumn March to May

Time to start: broad beans, garlic and strawberry.

Last chance for: potato.

Winter June to August

Time to start: potato.

Last chance for: garlic.

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

Frost in Wellington

Frost nights in a year
about 1, none in some winters
Safe to plant frost-tender vegetables
from about 19 August

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

Harder to grow in Wellington

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

Questions about planting in Wellington

What can I plant now in Wellington?

In October, 35 vegetables can be sown or planted in Wellington, including beetroot, broad beans, broccoli, bush beans, cabbage, carrot, cauliflower and celeriac. The full list is at the top of this page and changes every month.

When should I plant tomatoes in Wellington?

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

When should I plant potatoes in Wellington?

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

When should I plant garlic in Wellington?

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

When is the last frost in Wellington?

Frost is rare in Wellington: about 1 night in a typical year, and none at all in some winters. Frost-tender vegetables are safe from about 19 August.

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

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

Which vegetables are quickest to grow in Wellington?

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), beetroot (about 9 weeks), lettuce (about 9 weeks) and silverbeet (about 9 weeks). The time is from starting to the first pick.

Other cities

What to plant now in Auckland · What to plant now in Christchurch

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