Course handoutGarden planning
Seasons and planting calendars
How climate and season shape what can be grown, and how to read a planting guide.
Theory and discussion only · Community education, not accredited training
Key takeaways
- 01ABC Gardening Australia’s Vegie Guide groups Australia into five climate zones.
- 02Choose your zone first, then a month, to find planting suggestions.
- 03Your own notes on weather and results turn a general calendar into a local one.
In this course
01Climate zones in Australia
- Arid
- Tropical
- Subtropical
- Temperate
- Cool
02Seasons and the growing year
- Changes in warmth
- Changes in rainfall
- Changes in daylight hours
- Frost, heat and dry spells
03Reading a planting calendar
- Find your climate zone first
- Then look up the month
- Treat suggestions as a starting point
- Compare with your own notes over time
04Planning a year in the garden
- Twelve columns, one for each month
- What to plant, what to pick and what rests
- Space for notes on the weather
- Review and adjust the plan each year
Talk it over
- How do the seasons here compare with those in other places you have lived?
- What signs in nature tell you that a season is changing?
- Which climate zone do you think fits your area, and why?
- Why might two gardens in the same suburb get different results?
Reflect
Which season do you enjoy most, and what would you like to grow then?
What seasonal food or garden tradition from your family would you like to keep alive?
Further reading
- ABC Gardening Australia — Vegie Guide zoneshttps://www.abc.net.au/gardening/vegie-guide-zones/9796680
Official guidance can change — always check the source.