This gardening calendar outlines major gardening tasks and what flowers and vegetables to plant for each season. It is specifically written to help gardeners in cool temperate, subtropical and tropical areas of Queensland, but gardeners living elsewhere in similar climatic regions may also find it useful. Simply decide on which of the climatic regions outlined below best describes where you garden.

Climatic regions

Tropical – Northern tip of Queensland extending south to Rockhampton. Hot and humid from December to March followed by a long dry season from April to November.
Subtropical – Coastal regions east of the dividing range south from Rockhampton to just below Coffs Harbour. Dry relatively warm winters and wet, moderately hot summers.
Cool Temperate  – Small area just inland from the coast including Toowoomba and Warwick and inland parts of northern NSW. Winters are cold and frosty.  Summers are cooler than surrounding districts.

Now select the season (above) that you are interested in and you will find a list of seasonal tasks and planting lists for the climatic zone in which you garden.

It is easy to be inspired by the colour and perfume of annuals and bulbs in flower in temperate and subtropical regions during spring. Even as the build up to the wet season begins, flower and vegetable gardens in the tropics continue to soldier on. Visit your local nursery to check out new release plants and the latest gardening trends.

Seasonal Tasks
Fertilise bulbs, pawpaws, citrus and roses and water well.
Protect seedlings from snails and slugs with non-toxic, iron based baits.
Prune hibiscus now and azaleas, poinsettias and snowflake bush after flowering.
Repot and fertilize indoor plants.
Control azalea lace bug, aphids, scale, leaf miner and bronze orange bugs.

Deciduous trees, azaleas, cymbidium orchids, hippeastrum, bombax tree, & Marguerite daisy

All Zones – alyssum, begonia, cosmos, marigold & petunia
Tropical - amaranthus, celosia, gomphrena, phlox, portulaca, salvia, sunflower, torenia & zinnia
Subtropical & Cool Temperate - aster, amaranthus, celosia, cleome, gomphrena, phlox, portulaca, salvia, sunflower, torenia & zinnia

All Zones – carrot, choko, cucumber, eggplant, French beans, lettuce, radish, spring onion, squash & tomato
Tropical  - capsicum, kohl rabi, okra, pumpkin, rockmelon, rosella, sweet potato, tomato, watermelon & zucchini
Subtropical - beetroot, capsicum, kohl rabi, okra, pumpkin, rockmelon, rosella, silver beet, sweet corn, sweet potato, watermelon & zucchini
Cool Temperate – beetroot, broccoli, cabbage, silver beet & sweet corn

Callistemon, jacaranda, tree waratah (Alloxylon) May bush, native frangipani (Hymenosporum) & star jasmine

All Zones – alyssum, amaranthus, begonia, cosmos, marigold, petunia, portulaca, salvia, torenia & zinnia
Tropical – gomphrena & phlox
Subtropical & Cool Temperate – as for Tropics plus aster, celosia, cleome & sunflower

All Zones –capsicum, choko, cucumber, eggplant, French beans, lettuce, okra, pumpkin, radish, spring onion, tomato & zucchini
Tropical  - rockmelon, rosella, squash, sweet potato & watermelon
Subtropical – as for tropical plus sweet corn
Cool Temperate – beetroot, broccoli, cabbage, carrot, celery, onion, parsnip, potato, silver beet, squash & sweet corn

Gardenia, November lily, port wine magnolia, poinciana, NZ Christmas tree

All Zones – alyssum, amaranthus, celosia, cosmos, marigold, petunia, portulaca, salvia & zinnia
Subtropical  & Cool Temperate – begonia, gomphrena, sunflower, torenia & verbena

All Zones – capsicum, choko, cucumber, eggplant, lettuce, squash, sweet corn, sweet potato, radish, snake beans, tomato, zucchini
Tropical  - okra, pumpkin, rockmelon, rosella, & watermelon
Subtropical - okra, pumpkin, rockmelon, rosella, spring onion, & watermelon
Cool Temperate – beetroot, broccoli, cabbage, carrot, cauliflower, onion, parsnip & potato

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