Canberra, ACT · Summer
What to sow, plant, and harvest in Canberra across December, January, February, the full seasonal list, in the order an almanac would lay it out.
Months
December, January, February
Crops to sow
12
Seedlings to plant
6
Climate
Cool Temperate
Summer in Canberra is the harvest peak for fruiting crops, and a planting window only for the heat-tolerant, basil, late beans, succession lettuce in shade. The city sits in cool temperate territory, winter lows around 1°C, summer highs around 31°C, and the summer months (December, January, February) carry a recognisable rhythm that's worth knowing before you plant.
From seed in Canberra this summer: Beans (succession), Radish, Spring Onion, Beetroot, Beans (quick), Beetroot (succession), Lettuce (heat-tolerant), Broccoli, Kale, Asian Greens, Carrot, Spinach. That's a long list, which is the upside of Canberra's cool temperate conditions in summer, direct-sowing into raised beds gives you the best germination and the strongest root systems for the season ahead.
As seedlings in Canberra this summer: Beans, Zucchini, Cucumber (succession), Basil, Zucchini (succession), Zucchini (last succession). Buying seedlings from a local nursery shortens the calendar by 4-8 weeks compared to seed, which matters most in Canberra's shoulder windows.
Harvesting in Canberra this summer: Tomato (first!), Zucchini, Lettuce, Peas (last), Radish, Spring Onion, Garlic, Tomato (peak season!), Cucumber, Beans, Capsicum, Basil, Garlic (late harvest), Tomato, Eggplant. The harvest peak runs across the season's middle month, when warm-season crops planted in the previous shoulder are coming into full production.
Canberra's last frost is typically around late September-early October, never plant frost-sensitive crops (tomatoes, beans, zucchini) outside before mid-October. The short frost-free window in Canberra means starting tomatoes, capsicum, and basil indoors from late August is essential to get a decent harvest before April frosts. If you want the printable, see the full Canberra planting calendar.
Canberra's summer suits raised beds for the simple reason that raised beds drain faster and let you control the bed mix, both of which matter when the season's weather extremes try to either drown or bake your crops. The raised bed calculator sizes the bed; the companion planting guide fills it out.
For the month-by-month read, see the full Canberra planting calendar. To convert this season's list into an exact bed plan for your household, Plant Planner reads your postcode, your bed dimensions, and your family size and does the maths.
Sow from seed
Plant as seedlings
Harvest
In Canberra's summer (December, January, February), you can sow from seed: Beans (succession), Radish, Spring Onion, Beetroot, Beans (quick), Beetroot (succession), Lettuce (heat-tolerant), Broccoli, Kale, Asian Greens, Carrot, Spinach. From seedlings: Beans, Zucchini, Cucumber (succession), Basil, Zucchini (succession), Zucchini (last succession).
Across Canberra's summer months, you'll be harvesting: Tomato (first!), Zucchini, Lettuce, Peas (last), Radish, Spring Onion, Garlic, Tomato (peak season!), Cucumber, Beans, Capsicum, Basil, Garlic (late harvest), Tomato.
The strongest summer performer in Canberra depends on what you already grow, but high-yield, low-effort choices include Beans, Zucchini, Cucumber (succession). The full crop-by-crop guides are linked above.
Frost risk in Canberra: April-October (regular frosts; heavy frosts June-August). Frost is less of a concern in this season, heat protection and irrigation matter more.
Tell us your postcode and your bed size. We’ll lay it out, size it for your household, and email reminders the weekend before each task.
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