What to Plant in Winter in Melbourne

Winter is Melbourne's second growing season, and it's a good one

Many Melbourne gardeners pack it in when the cold arrives. The tomato plants are pulled out, the beds sit empty, and the garden goes dormant until September. That's a waste of five productive months. Melbourne's winter, with its regular rainfall, mild daytime temperatures, and low pest pressure, is one of the best growing seasons of the year for dozens of crops.

Cool-season vegetables actually prefer temperatures between 5 and 18 degrees. Melbourne's winter sits right in that range for most of the season. Frost can damage a few crops, but the majority of winter vegetables handle it well, and some taste better after a frost.

Brassicas: The Stars of Melbourne Winter

The brassica family owns winter in Melbourne. These crops need cool temperatures to form heads and develop flavour, and they handle frost well.

• Broccoli: Plant seedlings from March to May for winter and early spring harvest. Varieties like Green Sprouting and Di Cicco produce side shoots for months after the main head is cut.
• Cauliflower: Transplant seedlings in March or April. Requires rich soil and consistent moisture. Snowball and Purple Cape are reliable Melbourne varieties.
• Cabbage: Plant March to May. Savoy types handle frost best. Sugarloaf and January King are excellent cool-climate picks.
• Brussels sprouts: Plant seedlings in February or March for winter harvest. They need a long growing season and actually develop better flavour after frost. This is a crop Melbourne gardeners can grow that Brisbane gardeners struggle with.
• Kale: Direct sow or transplant from March to July. Tuscan kale (cavolo nero) is a Melbourne favourite. Harvest outer leaves continuously and the plant keeps producing through winter and into spring.

Root Vegetables

Winter root vegetables grow slowly but steadily in Melbourne's cool soil. Most can be direct sown into the ground.

• Carrots: Sow seed directly from March to July. Nantes and Chantenay types handle Melbourne's clay better than long varieties. Thin seedlings to 3 centimetres apart once they're established.
• Beetroot: Sow March to July. Bull's Blood and Chioggia are reliable. Soak seeds overnight before planting to speed germination in cold soil.
• Turnips: Fast growing and frost hardy. Sow April to July for roots in 8 to 10 weeks.
• Parsnips: Sow March to June. They need 16 to 20 weeks to mature, so early sowing gives the best results. Parsnips love Melbourne's cold winters and taste sweeter after frost converts their starches to sugars.
• Radish: The fastest winter crop. Sow every two weeks from March to August for continuous harvest in 4 to 6 weeks.

Leafy Greens

Melbourne winter produces the best leafy greens of the year. Cool temperatures mean slower bolting, sweeter leaves, and less pest damage.

• Spinach: True spinach (Bloomsdale, Viroflay) grows beautifully in Melbourne winter. Sow March to August. It bolts quickly in warm weather, so winter is the ideal season.
• Silverbeet: Sow or transplant year-round in Melbourne. Winter crops are less bitter and more tender than summer plantings.
• Lettuce: Sow every 3 weeks from March through August. Butterhead and cos types handle cold best. Oak leaf varieties bolt later than iceberg in unpredictable warm spells.
• Rocket: Direct sow March to August. Wild rocket is hardier than cultivated rocket and produces smaller, peppier leaves through the coldest months.
• Asian greens: Bok choy, pak choy, tatsoi, and mizuna all thrive in Melbourne winter. Sow March to August. They germinate fast and reach harvest size in 6 to 8 weeks.

Legumes

Winter legumes fix nitrogen in the soil while producing food. They're essential for building soil fertility between summer crops.

• Broad beans: The classic Melbourne winter crop. Sow directly from April to July. Aquadulce and Coles Dwarf are proven varieties. Stake tall varieties against winter winds. Harvest young pods for the best flavour, or let them mature for dried beans.
• Peas: Sow directly from April to July. Snow peas (Oregon Sugar Pod), sugar snap peas, and shelling peas all work. Provide climbing support. Melbourne's cool, moist conditions are exactly what peas need.

Alliums

Winter is when you establish the allium crops that will feed you through the next year.

• Garlic: Plant cloves from late March to May. Melbourne's cold winters provide the chill period garlic needs to form large bulbs. Harvest in November or December. See our full garlic guide for variety recommendations.
• Onions: Plant seedlings or sets from April to June. Brown, white, and red varieties all do well. Onions need a long growing season and harvest in late spring or early summer.
• Leeks: Transplant seedlings from March to June. They grow slowly through winter and are ready from late winter through spring. Leeks handle frost well and improve in flavour as they mature in cold soil.

Herbs for Winter

Many Mediterranean herbs slow down in winter but continue producing. Some herbs actually prefer the cool season.

• Coriander: Winter is the best time to grow coriander in Melbourne. It bolts within weeks in summer heat, but grows slowly and produces abundant leaf through the cool months. Sow every 3 weeks from April to August.
• Parsley: Sow or transplant year-round. Italian flat-leaf parsley is hardier than curly in cold weather.
• Chives: Existing plants keep producing through winter. New plants can be divided and replanted in autumn.

Month-by-Month Winter Planting Summary

May

Sow broad beans, peas, garlic, onions, spinach, lettuce, rocket, Asian greens, kale, silverbeet, carrots, beetroot, radish, turnips, and coriander. Transplant broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage seedlings started in March.

June

Continue sowing all the above. Plant bare-rooted fruit trees (the best time for deciduous trees in Melbourne). Last chance for garlic planting in most areas.

July

Sow peas, lettuce, spinach, Asian greens, radish. Prepare beds for early spring plantings. Prune deciduous fruit trees. Order seed potatoes for August planting.

August

The transition month. Continue cool-season sowings. Start planning warm-season crops. Plant seed potatoes in early August. Sow lettuce, spinach, peas, and radish. From mid-August, you can start tomato and capsicum seeds indoors with bottom heat.

Frequently Asked Questions