What to plant in October in Cairns

Cairns has a tropical climate. Frost is rare in the city itself. Worked out from ten years of daily weather (2016–2025), not from a national zone map.

Sow now

Mustard greensMar–Nov · last chance
Pak choiFeb–Nov · last chance
Cucumberall year
Zucchiniall year
Pumpkinall year
Rockmelonall year
Watermelonall year
Sweet cornall year
Dwarf beanall year
Climbing beanall year
Snake beanall year
Okraall year

Also: basil, sunflower.

Plant out seedlings

TomatoApr–Oct · last chance
Capsicumall year
Chilliall year
Eggplantall year
Sweet potatoall year

Start seed indoors

Nothing to start indoors this month.

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.

Start for free

Cairns sowing calendar

Sow outdoors (or plant seedlings, where both work) Plant out seedlings Start seed indoors

Crop	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Fruiting vegetables
Tomato			I	P	P	P	P	P	P	P
Capsicum	P	P	P	P	P	P	P	P	P	P	P	P
Chilli	P	P	P	P	P	P	P	P	P	P	P	P
Eggplant	P	P	P	P	P	P	P	P	P	P	P	P
Cucumber	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S
Zucchini	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S
Pumpkin	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S
Rockmelon	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S
Watermelon	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S
Sweet corn	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S
Dwarf bean	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S
Climbing bean	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S
Snake bean	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S
Okra	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S
Sunflower	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S
Salads and leafy greens
Lettuce (loose-leaf)			I	S	S	S	S	S	S
Silverbeet			I	S	S	S	S	S	S
Rocket						S	S
Mustard greens			S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S
Cabbage family
Pak choi	I	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S
Roots and tubers
Sweet potato	P	P	P	P	P	P	P	P	P	P	P	P
Beetroot						S
Radish							S
Onion family
Spring onion				S	S	S	S	S
Herbs
Basil	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S
Dill						S	S
Chives				I	S	S	S	S
Thyme			I	I	S	S	S	S	S

25 common crops are left out because this climate does not suit them outdoors.