Climate Zones for Australian Gardeners
Knowing your climate zone will help you decide the best time to sow the vegetables, herbs and flowers you want to grow, and which varieties should perform well in your garden. Growing plants that are suited to your climate zone will usually give you the best results in your garden.
How to Use Climate Zones
First, find your climate zone using the map or descriptions below. Next, refer to our sowing chart, which provides approximate sowing times for our most popular seeds for each climate zone.
While knowing your climate zone is helpful when planning your garden, there are many other factors that may affect how your plants grow, including unseasonal weather conditions, the specific microclimate of your garden and how you care for your plants. You know your garden better than us, so if a different climate zone seems to ‘fit’ your garden better, go ahead and use it as a guide.
Our climate zones cover huge areas of Australia, so we recommend gardeners also consider their local conditions when planning what and when to plant. For example, gardeners in alpine areas have shorter growing seasons than gardeners in cool coastal areas, even though both alpine and coastal areas are included in our ‘Cool Temperate’ climate zone. We recommend gardeners in cool regions look at the ‘days to maturity’ information provided for each variety and choose those that will mature in a short (6-12 week) growing season.
Tropical
- Includes: Darwin, Cairns, Townsville, Exmouth
- High humidity summers with most rainfall in summer and dry, warm winters. Includes northern Australia from Exmouth (WA) across to south of Townsville (Qld).
- Set as my climate My climate
Arid
- Includes: Alice Springs, Mildura, Albury-Wodonga, Shepparton, Wagga Wagga, Dubbo
- Hot dry summers, winters can be warm or cool depending on the region. Includes a large area of central Australia from the WA coast to Charleville (Qld), Tamworth (NSW) and Albury-Wodonga (NSW/Vic).
- Set as my climate My climate
Subtropical
- Includes: Brisbane, Bundaberg, Coffs Harbour, Gold Coast, Hervey Bay, Mackay, Rockhampton, Sunshine Coast
- Warm humid summers with high summer rainfall and mild winters. Includes coastal Queensland and northern NSW from north of Mackay to just south of Coffs Harbour.
- Set as my climate My climate
Temperate
- Includes: Sydney, Perth, Adelaide, Newcastle, Toowoomba, Central Coast NSW, Wollongong, Bunbury
- Moderate humidity and reliable rainfall, with four distinct seasons. Includes coastal areas from north of Port Macquarie to south of Woollongong in NSW, coastal SA and the southeastern coast of WA.
- Set as my climate My climate
Cool Temperate
- Includes: Melbourne, Canberra, Hobart, Launceston, Ballarat, Bendigo, Geelong, Mt Gambier
- Low humidity with most rainfall in winter; hot dry summers and cold winters. Some regions will experience frosts and snow. Includes coastal areas of south-eastern Australia and alpine areas of Victoria, NSW and Tasmania.
- Set as my climate My climate
Climate Zones FAQ
What if I can’t find my climate zone?
If you can’t locate your zone from looking at the map or the descriptions on this page, we suggest that you think of
an area that has a climate that’s similar to yours and use the zone for that area as a guide.
What if I live on the border of two zones?
If you live near the border between two zones we suggest you read the descriptions for both zones and decide which
best describes the climate where you live. Depending on the microclimate in your garden, you may be able to grow a
wider range of plants over a longer season than others in your zone. Lucky you!
What is a microclimate?
A microclimate is a small area where the temperature or humidity differs to the climate of the surrounding area. For
example, if you live in a climate zone where frosts are common but your garden is protected by buildings or large
trees, your garden may be frost-free. Similarly, if you live in a warm temperate zone but your garden is at a high
altitude your microclimate may have more in common with the cool temperate zone, so use this as a guide when
deciding which zone is relevant to you.
Can I grow varieties not listed for my climate zone?
While our climate zones and sowing chart will help you decide what is suitable to plant in your garden, they provide
general guidance only. We recommend you start by sowing seed that’s recommended for your climate zone; once you get
a few successes under your belt you can experiment with varieties in neighbouring zones and see how you go –
gardening is all about experimenting after all!
- Vegetable
- Long thick stems
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Description
'Leek- Autumn Giant' seeds
Allium porrum
- Vegetable
- Long thick stems
Long thick stems with very little bulbing. Fast growing. Good for salads, stews, soups, stir-fries and steamed.
Seeds per gram: 400
Product code: D3-02
COOL CLIMATE | TEMPERATE | SUB-TROPICAL | TROPICAL | ARID |
---|---|---|---|---|
COOL_JAN_y COOL_FEB_y COOL_MAR_y COOL_APR_y COOL_MAY_ COOL_JUN_ COOL_JUL_ COOL_AUG_ COOL_SEP_y COOL_OCT_y COOL_NOV_y COOL_DEC_y |
TEMP_JAN_y TEMP_FEB_y TEMP_MAR_y TEMP_APR_y TEMP_MAY_ TEMP_JUN_ TEMP_JUL_ TEMP_AUG_y TEMP_SEP_y TEMP_OCT_y TEMP_NOV_y TEMP_DEC_y |
SUB_JAN_y SUB_FEB_y SUB_MAR_y SUB_APR_y SUB_MAY_y SUB_JUN_ SUB_JUL_ SUB_AUG_ SUB_SEP_ SUB_OCT_ SUB_NOV_ SUB_DEC_ |
TROP_JAN_ TROP_FEB_y TROP_MAR_y TROP_APR_y TROP_MAY_y TROP_JUN_ TROP_JUL_ TROP_AUG_ TROP_SEP_ TROP_OCT_ TROP_NOV_ TROP_DEC_ |
ARID_JAN_ ARID_FEB_y ARID_MAR_y ARID_APR_y ARID_MAY_ ARID_JUN_ ARID_JUL_y ARID_AUG_y ARID_SEP_y ARID_OCT_ ARID_NOV_ ARID_DEC_ |
Best Months to Sow
J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | |
Cool | ||||||||||||
Temperate | ||||||||||||
Sub-Tropical | ||||||||||||
Tropical | ||||||||||||
Arid |
Quick Sowing Guide
Method | Sow direct or raise seedlings |
---|---|
Sowing Depth | 5mm |
Season | Spring, summer and autumn |
Germination | 10-14 days @ 18-23°C |
Hardiness / Life Cycle | Hardy Biennial (usually grown as an annual) |
Row Spacing | 45cm |
Plant Spacing | 12cm |
Position | Full sun, moist soil |
Days Until Maturity | 105 days |
Best method(s) for sowing 'Leek- Autumn Giant':
Leek- Autumn Giant seeds can be sown directly into the garden OR seedlings can be raised in trays or other containers and transplanted to the garden once established. Choose whichever method best suits your situation.
Sow direct: This means that the seeds are best sown directly into the garden. Seeds normally produce fast growing and strong seedlings.
Raise seedlings: This means seeds are best started off in trays or other containers and then transplanted to their final position once they are established. These seeds normally produce slower growing and weaker seedlings that need more care and protection from weather and pests. Seedlings can normally be transplanted to their final position once they are large enough to handle (around 5-10cm tall).
The expected germination time for 'Leek- Autumn Giant' is approximately 10-14 days when sown at a soil temperature of 18-23°C
Ideal soil temperature for germination: 18-23°C
Approximate germination time: 10-14 days
The temperature listed above is the ideal soil temperature for germination. It's important to note that soil temperature usually differs greatly from air temperature. Germination may occur outside of this window with decreased rates, or seeds may lie dormant in the soil until ideal temperature is met. (Tips on how to measure soil temperature.)
Germination time is approximate and based on seed grown in ideal conditions.
These figures should be used as a guide only; gardeners should never give up on seeds just because the expected germination window has passed. Be patient, some seeds take longer to germinate than others and some seeds are fussy and will wait for the conditions to be perfect.
'Leek- Autumn Giant' is a Hardy Biennial (usually grown as an annual).
Hardy: Plants have the ability to survive frost and cold weather. Plants should survive winter. *Note: Some plants may become dormant or grow very slowly during cold weather. Some young plants are still sensitive to cold weather until they are established.
Biennial: Plant completes its life cycle in 2 years (then dies)
'Leek- Autumn Giant' prefers to be grown in a position with the following conditions: Full sun, moist soil
Full sun: Plant likes 6 hours of sun or more a day.
Moist soil: Soil should retain moisture well without being too wet.
'Leek- Autumn Giant' Days to Maturity: 105 days
Days to Maturity: This is simply the number of days until the plant reaches the purpose for which it’s normally grown (ie: the time it takes for the plant to fruit or flower or until the leaves are ready to be picked, etc.)
- Days to maturity is an approximate figure and can vary significantly depending on numerous factors such as weather, soil, climate and the gardening methods used.
- Days to maturity is best used as a guide to help you plan your garden. More info.
*Notes: Keep well watered. Hill stems with soil to blanch and create longer stems.
Arid Climate
- Includes: Alice Springs, Mildura, Albury-Wodonga, Shepparton, Wagga Wagga, Dubbo
- Hot dry summers, winters can be warm or cool depending on the region. Includes a large area of central Australia from the WA coast to Charleville (Qld), Tamworth (NSW) and Albury-Wodonga (NSW/Vic).
Tropical Climate
- Includes: Darwin, Cairns, Townsville, Exmouth
- High humidity summers with most rainfall in summer and dry, warm winters. Includes northern Australia from Exmouth (WA) across to south of Townsville (Qld).
Subtropical Climate
- Includes: Brisbane, Bundaberg, Coffs Harbour, Gold Coast, Hervey Bay, Mackay, Rockhampton, Sunshine Coast
- Warm humid summers with high summer rainfall and mild winters. Includes coastal Queensland and northern NSW from north of Mackay to just south of Coffs Harbour.
Warm Temperate Climate
- Includes: Sydney, Perth, Adelaide, Newcastle, Toowoomba, Central Coast NSW, Wollongong, Bunbury
- Moderate humidity and reliable rainfall, with four distinct seasons. Includes coastal areas from north of Port Macquarie to south of Woollongong in NSW, coastal SA and the southeastern coast of WA.
Cool Climate
- Includes: Melbourne, Canberra, Hobart, Launceston, Ballarat, Bendigo, Geelong, Mt Gambier
- Low humidity with most rainfall in winter; hot dry summers and cold winters. Some regions will experience frosts and snow. Includes coastal areas of south-eastern Australia and alpine areas of Victoria, NSW and Tasmania.
How To Grow
Shipping
We deliver Australia wide.
All orders are dispatched from our warehouse in Knoxfield, Victoria, Australia.
We do not deliver overseas.
Shipping cost is calculated using all the items in your shopping cart and your delivery postcode. The table below outlines the delivery options and costs.
Order dispatch time is currently 4-6 business days plus delivery time.
Please note we are unable to guarantee specific delivery dates or delivery timeframes, all delivery times are estimates only.
Order contains: | Delivery options: | Delivery cost per order | |
---|---|---|---|
VIC, NSW, ACT, QLD, TAS, SA, NT | WA | ||
Small seed packets ONLY - | Economy Delivery | $3.00 or FREE on orders over $25 | $5 |
Parcel Delivery | Capped rate of $8.99 | ||
Express Delivery | $15.00 | ||
BULK seed, garden supplies, tools, or accessories - |
Parcel Delivery |
Capped rate of $8.99 |
|
Express Delivery |
Starting from $15.00 (Calculated by weight) |
||
Live Plants - | Live plants | Capped rate of $10.00 |
*All orders sent to Western Australia are subject to mandatory inspection and fees by Quarantine WA. These fees are included in all shipping costs above.
**We will replace all orders that are lost or damaged in transit however we will not replace or refund orders simply because they were delivered later than estimated. Full details here.
Ratings & Reviews
Leeks a but small but tasty
Not sure if I did something wrong but they were really thin, good flavour but thincustomer review from 17/02/2013 22 March 2016
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Suitable to sow in Tropical Climates in:
Suitable to sow in Arid Climates in:
Suitable to sow in Cool Climates in:
Suitable to sow in Temperate Climates in:
Suitable to sow in Sub-Tropical Climates in:
Suitable to sow in Tropical Climates in:
Suitable to sow in Arid Climates in:
Suitable to sow in Cool Climates in:
Suitable to sow in Temperate Climates in:
Suitable to sow in Sub-Tropical Climates in:
Suitable to sow in Tropical Climates in:
Suitable to sow in Arid Climates in:
Suitable to sow in Cool Climates in:
Suitable to sow in Temperate Climates in:
Suitable to sow in Sub-Tropical Climates in:
Suitable to sow in Tropical Climates in:
Suitable to sow in Arid Climates in:
'Leek- Autumn Giant' is an Open pollinated, untreated, non-GMO variety of seed.
Open pollinated: Seeds are produced by naturally occurring mechanisms such as insects, birds or wind. Older varieties of open pollinated seeds are called Heirloom seeds. Open pollinated seed can be saved and will grow true to type (if correct seed saving methods are followed).
Untreated: Seeds have not been treated with chemicals.
Non-GMO: Seeds have not been genetically modified.
Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are organisms that have had their DNA altered through human intervention. In the case of GMO seeds, genes from other species are inserted into a seed's DNA to give it characteristics such as resistance to herbicides, diseases or pests. All of the seeds on this website are non-GMO.
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