There are countless benefits to planting and eating seasonal vegetables. They thrive when they’re planted at the right time, they pack way more nutrition, and are far tastier, too!
When you’re planning on planting a veggie garden in Melbourne, it pays to know a thing or two about the climate and how to plant seasonally.
We’ll walk you through the dos and don’ts of planting vegetables in your backyard, from getting the most out of your warm-season crops to growing tasty winter vegetables.
At All Green, we have an enormous number of vegetable plants for sale. From sweet potatoes to tomato seedlings, check out our stock online, or pop into one of our stores to see the plants for yourself!
The benefits of seasonal planting
While Melbourne has its share of lovely sunny days, it’s also known for strong cold fronts and changeable weather conditions. That weather isn’t just impactful to the way we dress; it also impacts how we garden! Vegetables grown in their preferred seasons naturally handle Melbourne's conditions better than those planted at the wrong time.
Because Melbourne has a temperate oceanic climate, plants benefit from occasional extreme heat in summer, but less so than in other parts of the country. Seasonal timing helps gardeners work with these conditions rather than against them.
Melbourne gardeners also need to be mindful of frost, which typically occurs between May and September, with the heaviest frosts usually happening in July and August. Protecting tender plants during these colder months is essential for successful year-round growing.
Melbourne soil types and preparation
There are different kinds of soil across Melbourne. In the northeast, you’ll find loamy grey soils that are full of clay and require lots of nutrients. In the northwest, heavy clay soils are more common. And the Dandenong Ranges and Mornington Peninsula are blessed with nutrient-rich soil– damp, loamy, and just right for grapes.
To get the best out of our vegetable planting guide for Melbourne, check what kind of soil you have in your garden and see if it needs to be replaced or replenished.
Growing your own vegetables is also one of the most sustainable choices you can make. It reduces food miles, packaging waste, and gives you complete control over what goes into your soil and onto your plate. Building healthy, nutrient-rich soil is the foundation of sustainable gardening, and All Green's specially formulated veggie mix provides the perfect organic blend to get your garden thriving while supporting local ecosystems and soil biology.
Melbourne vegetable planting calendar
Spring vegetable planting
For leafy greens, root vegetables, and more, springtime in Melbourne is a delight, with flowers blooming and sunshowers galore. Spring begins in September and stretches through to November — although some years, by mid-November, things might start to get a bit summery.
To prepare your garden for spring, begin by harvesting (and enjoying) any vegetables from winter that are left over. Then remove invasive weeds that may have crept in while you weren’t looking. To get your soil up to scratch, you may want to spread compost or fertiliser (or both) over the planting area and mix it in. There’s nothing vegetables love more than compost-rich soil!
Many different vegetables will grow well in Melbourne over the spring, like carrots, capsicums, cucumbers, chillies, cabbages, cauliflowers, and celery, and that’s just the ones that start with the letter ‘c’. Some of our other favourite things to grow in Melbourne in springtime include:
Beetroot
Beetroot is a fantastic spring starter that's incredibly forgiving for new gardeners. These ruby gems love the cooler spring weather and will actually bolt to seed if planted too late in summer, so spring timing is perfect.
The best part about beetroot? You get two crops in one. Harvest the young leaves early for salads, then let the roots develop for roasting. Plant them in well-draining soil, and they'll practically grow themselves through the warming spring months.
Broccoli
Spring is the best time to plant broccoli in Melbourne. Broccoli thrives in spring's mild temperatures and will reward you with those classic green heads we all know and love. The trick with broccoli is consistent watering — irregular moisture will cause the heads to bolt or become bitter.
Here's a spring gardening secret: after you harvest the main head, don't pull up the plant! Keep watering, and you'll get smaller side shoots for weeks, extending your broccoli harvest well into early summer.
Leafy greens
Spring is absolutely prime time for leafy greens like lettuce, spinach, and rocket. These fast-growing crops love the gentle spring sunshine and won't bolt to seed like they would in summer heat.
The beauty of leafy greens in spring is succession planting — sow a new row every two weeks, and you'll have fresh salad leaves continuously. They're also perfect for beginners since most are ready to harvest in just 4-6 weeks.
Curry leaf tree
The best time to plant a curry tree is in early spring, just before active growth resumes.
They are very frost sensitive, so plant during warmer months to allow time for the tree to become established before winter returns.
Vegetables are just the beginning! Check out our blog to see all the wonderful things you can grow in Melbourne in the springtime.
Summer vegetable planting
Melbourne’s summer months are between December and February, and like other parts of Australia, they can get frightfully hot. Many vegetables can be effectively planted during these warmer months, but it’s important to keep the heat in mind; ensure that you install plenty of shade and make use of effective watering.
Cucumbers
Cucumbers are versatile and relatively easy to care for. They love the sun, but the Australian summer can be a bit much even for them, so give them a little shade if planting during our hot months.
If you’d like to practise companion planting and enhance the growth of two plants at once, both corn and sunflowers will work as excellent natural trellises for your cucumber vines.
A note of caution: Watch out when growing cucumbers; after a certain point, bigger does not mean better. Too-large cucumbers can taste bitter. It’s better to get them when they’re delicious and a bit smaller.
Tomatoes
Yes, technically, tomatoes aren’t vegetables — they’re fruits. And yet, a tomato plant is still the thing that most people think of when considering vegetables to grow in summer. There are so many benefits when you plant tomatoes: you can eat them straight from your garden, or conserve them and make your own tomato sauce (or even a chutney).
Although tomatoes grow during summer, our hot tip is to plant them a bit earlier in the year. That way, they’ll be able to grow for longer, and you’ll get bigger, tastier tomatoes. Try to get them in the ground before the Melbourne Cup, if you can.
Brussels sprouts
You wouldn’t necessarily think of planting Brussels sprouts in summer — they seem like more of a cold-weather food. But don’t let that fool you! For a great crop, Brussels sprouts should be sown in late summer because they need a long time to grow (over 100 days!).
Autumn vegetable planting
When it comes to planting vegetables in season, Melbourne gardeners are spoiled for choice in autumn. And with the right autumn planting guide, you can achieve incredible things.
Radishes
Looking for a quick payoff from your autumnal planting? Try radishes. They’re one of the autumn vegetables that grow most quickly. No matter which month of autumn you decide to plant radishes in, you’ll have beautiful plants ready for eating in just a few weeks. Do ensure, though, that the soil is aerated and also nice and moist.
Onions
Different kinds of onions develop at different rates, so here’s a top tip for planting them in autumn: plant a variety of different types of onions, and they’ll mature at different times. That way, you’ll have a dynamic and changing roster of onions ready to go over several weeks.
Herbs
In Melbourne, Autumn is the best time of year to plant herbs. You can grow herbs of all kinds in Melbourne, like:
- Oregano
- Parsley
- Thyme
- Tarragon
- Lemongrass
- Coriander
- Rosemary
- Thai Basil
- Holy Basil
- Turmeric
- Galangal
Winter vegetable planting guide
Don’t let Melbourne’s drab and grey winter get you down. By following our Melbourne vegetable planting guide for the cold months and growing your vegetables, your spirits will be lifted by the springing forth of new life from your garden bed.
Winter vegetables can be some of the most delicious, and nothing improves the look of a garden as much as the sight of winter veggies springing through the soil. Here are some ideas for things to plant in Melbourne between June and August.
Leafy greens
When it comes to leafy greens, summer can be a bit too intense in Australia. But leafy green vegetables are the perfect choice for planting during the winter months. Growing edible plants like silverbeet and spinach tend to be winners in any veggie patch.
Peas
Peas grow beautifully in Melbourne when they don’t have to contend with the summer heat. Many different kinds of peas will work, from snow peas to English peas. We’re peas-ed to say that the pea is one of our favourite options for growing veggies in Melbourne.
Root vegetables
Winter is the ideal time to plant root vegetables in Melbourne, as cooler temperatures help them develop sweet, tender roots. Carrots, parsnips, turnips, and beetroot all thrive in the chill, with cold weather converting their starches to sugars for incredible flavour. Radishes are perfect for quick results – ready in just 4-6 weeks!
Tip from our horticulturist
After 20 years of helping Melbourne gardeners, I've learned that companion planting is like creating the perfect neighbourhood for your vegetables—some plants just love living next to each other! Our crazy weather and sneaky pests don't stand a chance when you pair the right plants together. Here are a few fan favourites:
- Tomatoes + Basil — your pasta ingredients growing happily together, plus basil keeps pesky aphids away.
- Lettuce + Taller plants — I tuck lettuce under my broccoli for instant shade during the sunnier days.
- Marigolds everywhere — I plant these bright beauties all through my veggie patch as natural pest control.
- Corn + Beans + Pumpkins —the corn provides a natural trellis for beans, which fix nitrogen for the hungry pumpkins.
- Broad beans + Broccoli — Both these veggies thrive in the same cool, moist conditions.
Q&A corner
How should I arrange my vegetables in my garden?
Put your tallest plants (corn, trellised beans, tomatoes) at the back or south side so they don't shade shorter crops. Medium-height plants like broccoli go in the middle, with low growers like lettuce and herbs at the front.
Group sun-lovers together in the brightest spots, while leafy greens can handle some afternoon shade. Also, group plants with similar watering needs, and leave pathways so you can reach everything for harvesting.
Can you grow potatoes in autumn?
Absolutely! Autumn is perfect for potatoes in Melbourne. Plant them from March to May for a winter harvest. The cool, moist conditions help prevent summer problems like potato moth and heat stress.
Choose early varieties like Dutch Cream or Kipfler—they'll be ready to harvest in winter and often taste better than summer crops.
What vegetables grow year-round in Melbourne?
Silverbeet (rainbow chard) is virtually indestructible and keeps producing leaves through all seasons. Parsley, chives, and oregano also grow continuously, just slowing down a bit in winter.
Spinach handles our cool months beautifully and can tough out mild frosts, while rocket actually prefers cooler weather and goes to seed quickly in summer heat. Asian greens like mizuna and bok choy are surprisingly hardy year-round, too.
Carrots can technically grow all year, though they're slower in winter. The trick is succession planting—sow new seeds every 4-6 weeks to keep a constant supply coming.
