Melbourne in October: what to plant
Over the last 5 years, October in Melbourne has run 9.2–19.0°C with about 110 mm of rain across the month. Here is what weather like that will carry to harvest.
Everything above is a five-year average. In the game it is this — the weather Melbourne is actually having, today.
Grow one in Melbourne's weather right now →❄️ No sub-zero nights in October in the last 5 years — frost is not the limiting factor here.
🗓️ Frost is rare and confined to midwinter (recorded around Jul 12). Most of the year is frost-free; only the coldest weeks need cover.
☀️ About 9.6 h of sunshine a day this month. Temperatures hold steady through the month.
Sow this month — when would you harvest?
Assuming you sow in mid-October, then adding up the warmth Melbourne usually gets, one day at a time — which is why some of these run past the end of the month.
| Crop | Days | Harvest around |
|---|---|---|
| 🌿 Rocket | 34 | Nov 17 |
| 🌿 Spinach | 45 | Nov 28 |
| 🥬 Cauliflower | 77 | Dec 30 |
| 🥬 Napa cabbage | 70 | Dec 23 |
| 🫘 Broad bean | 72 | Dec 25 |
| 🫛 Peas | 59 | Dec 12 |
| ⚪ Turnip | 47 | Nov 30 |
| 🏵️ Marigold | 66 | Dec 19 |
| ⚪ Daikon radish | 61 | Dec 14 |
| 🍒 Cherry Radish | 30 | Nov 13 |
| 🥕 Carrot | 77 | Dec 30 |
| 🍓 Strawberry | 63 | Dec 16 |
🌡️ Winter melon, Aubergine, Okra never accumulate enough heat outdoors in Melbourne — not in any month. Locally these need a greenhouse or a warm windowsill.
Best crops to sow now
They are all ideal for this month — the only real difference is how long each one takes, so pick whatever you want to eat.
- 🌿 Rocket about 37 days to harvest Recent mean 14.1°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🌿 Spinach about 50 days to harvest Recent mean 14.1°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🥬 Cauliflower about 95 days to harvest Recent mean 14.1°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🥬 Napa cabbage about 86 days to harvest Recent mean 14.1°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🫘 Broad bean about 86 days to harvest Recent mean 14.1°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🫛 Peas about 70 days to harvest Recent mean 14.1°C — right in the sweet spot
- ⚪ Turnip about 53 days to harvest Recent mean 14.1°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🏵️ Marigold about 85 days to harvest Recent mean 14.1°C — right in the sweet spot
- ⚪ Daikon radish about 72 days to harvest Recent mean 14.1°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🍒 Cherry Radish about 33 days to harvest Recent mean 14.1°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🥕 Carrot about 95 days to harvest Recent mean 14.1°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🍓 Strawberry about 75 days to harvest Recent mean 14.1°C — right in the sweet spot
Leave these for another month
- 🌶️ Okra — Recent mean 14.1°C is too cold (ideal 20–33°C)
- 🍆 Aubergine — Recent mean 14.1°C is too cold (ideal 18–32°C)
- 🍈 Winter melon — Recent mean 14.1°C is too cold (ideal 18–32°C)
Other months in Melbourne
📍 Somewhere else? Look up your own city →
Temperature and rainfall come from Open-Meteo's historical observations for Melbourne, averaged day by day over the last 5 years. Whether a crop finishes in time is worked out from its own starting temperature and heat requirement — those numbers are listed on each crop page if you want to check them.