What to plant in October in Ballarat
Ballarat has a cool climate. The last frost is usually over by 4 August (safe after 27 August); the first autumn frost comes around 28 June. Worked out from ten years of daily weather (2016–2025), not from a national zone map.
Sow now
- Wombok (Chinese cabbage)Oct–Apr · just started
- DillOct–Apr · just started
- ChivesOct–May · just started
- Broad beanFeb–Oct · last chance
- CauliflowerSep–Nov · last chance
- PeaJul–May
- Snow peaJul–May
- Lettuce (loose-leaf)Sep–May
- Butterhead lettuceSep–May
- Cos lettuceSep–May
- SilverbeetSep–Jun
- Mustard greensSep–May
Also: pak choi, broccoli, cabbage, red cabbage, kohlrabi, carrot, beetroot, swede, onion, spring onion, coriander, parsley, english spinach, rocket, kale, radish, parsnip, turnip.
Plant out seedlings
- Brussels sproutsOct · last chance
- PotatoOct–Feb · just started
- LeekSep–Jun
Plan it for your own garden
Ouleo turns this into reminders on your days off — even on shift work — with frost and heat alerts from the forecast for your street, not the city centre.
Ballarat sowing calendar
S Sow outdoors (or plant seedlings, where both work)P Plant out seedlingsI Start seed indoors
| Crop | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fruiting vegetables | ||||||||||||
| Tomato | P | I | P | P | ||||||||
| Cucumber | S | I | S | |||||||||
| Zucchini | S | S | I | S | S | |||||||
| Pumpkin | I | S | S | |||||||||
| Sweet corn | S | S | S | |||||||||
| Dwarf bean | S | S | S | S | ||||||||
| Climbing bean | S | S | S | |||||||||
| Sunflower | S | S | S | |||||||||
| Peas and beans for the cool season | ||||||||||||
| Pea | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | |
| Snow pea | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | |
| Broad bean | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | |||
| Salads and leafy greens | ||||||||||||
| New Zealand spinach | S | S | S | I | S | |||||||
| Lettuce (loose-leaf) | S | S | S | S | S | I | S | S | S | S | ||
| Butterhead lettuce | S | S | S | S | S | I | S | S | S | S | ||
| Cos lettuce | S | S | S | S | S | I | S | S | S | S | ||
| English spinach | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S |
| Silverbeet | S | S | S | S | S | S | I | S | S | S | S | |
| Rocket | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S |
| Mustard greens | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | |||
| Celery | P | P | P | I | I | P | P | |||||
| Cabbage family | ||||||||||||
| Pak choi | S | S | S | S | S | I | S | S | S | S | ||
| Wombok (Chinese cabbage) | S | S | S | S | I | S | S | S | ||||
| Kale | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S |
| Broccoli | S | S | S | S | S | I | S | S | S | S | ||
| Cauliflower | S | S | S | S | S | I | S | S | S | I | ||
| Cabbage | S | S | S | S | S | S | I | S | S | S | S | |
| Red cabbage | S | S | S | S | S | S | I | S | S | S | S | |
| Brussels sprouts | P | P | P | P | I | P | I | |||||
| Kohlrabi | S | S | S | S | S | I | S | S | S | S | ||
| Roots and tubers | ||||||||||||
| Carrot | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | |||
| Beetroot | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | |||
| Radish | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S |
| Parsnip | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S |
| Turnip | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S |
| Swede | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | ||
| Potato | P | P | P | P | P | |||||||
| Onion family | ||||||||||||
| Onion | S | S | S | S | S | S | I | I | S | S | S | S |
| Spring onion | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | |||
| Leek | P | P | P | P | P | P | I | I | P | P | P | P |
| Garlic | P | P | P | P | P | P | ||||||
| Herbs | ||||||||||||
| Basil | S | I | S | |||||||||
| Coriander | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | |||
| Dill | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | |||||
| Parsley | S | S | S | S | S | I | S | S | S | S | ||
| Chives | S | S | S | S | S | I | S | S | S | |||
| Thyme | S | S | S | S | I | I | S | S | ||||
18 common crops are left out because this climate does not suit them outdoors.
City-centre climate. Gardens in frost hollows or the hills get later spring frosts and earlier autumn ones; a greenhouse or a sheltered north-facing wall widens every window. Set your own location in Ouleo for your garden's calendar.