Melbourne, VIC · Autumn
What to sow, plant, and harvest in Melbourne across March, April, May, the full seasonal list, in the order an almanac would lay it out.
Months
March, April, May
Crops to sow
14
Seedlings to plant
12
Climate
Temperate/Cool
Autumn in Melbourne is the underrated second planting window, brassicas, leafy greens, garlic, broad beans all go in as the heat eases. The city sits in temperate/cool territory, winter lows around 6°C, summer highs around 32°C, and the autumn months (March, April, May) carry a recognisable rhythm that's worth knowing before you plant.
From seed in Melbourne this autumn: Broccoli, Cauliflower, Kale, Spinach, Silverbeet, Asian Greens, Beetroot, Radish, Garlic, Broad Beans, Peas, Carrot, Mache, Winter Radish. That's a long list, which is the upside of Melbourne's temperate/cool conditions in autumn, direct-sowing into raised beds gives you the best germination and the strongest root systems for the season ahead.
As seedlings in Melbourne this autumn: Broccoli seedlings, Lettuce, Asian Greens, Silverbeet, Bok Choy, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Cabbage, Leek, Onion seedlings, Brussels Sprouts, Kale. Buying seedlings from a local nursery shortens the calendar by 4-8 weeks compared to seed, which matters most in Melbourne's shoulder windows.
Harvesting in Melbourne this autumn: Tomato, Capsicum (last), Eggplant (last), Zucchini, Beans, Pumpkin, Tomato (final), Pumpkin (cure before frost), Broccoli (early plantings), Broccoli, Lettuce, Asian Greens, Silverbeet, Radish, Beetroot. The harvest peak runs across the season's middle month, when warm-season crops planted in the previous shoulder are coming into full production.
Melbourne's notorious 'four seasons in one day' weather means always have frost cloth ready from April through October, sudden cold snaps can damage tender seedlings even in spring. The dry, hot northerly winds in summer (particularly January-February) can desiccate plants overnight, water in the morning and mulch heavily. If you want the printable, see the full Melbourne planting calendar.
Melbourne's autumn 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 Melbourne 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 Melbourne's autumn (March, April, May), you can sow from seed: Broccoli, Cauliflower, Kale, Spinach, Silverbeet, Asian Greens, Beetroot, Radish, Garlic, Broad Beans, Peas, Carrot. From seedlings: Broccoli seedlings, Lettuce, Asian Greens, Silverbeet, Bok Choy, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Cabbage, Leek, Onion seedlings.
Across Melbourne's autumn months, you'll be harvesting: Tomato, Capsicum (last), Eggplant (last), Zucchini, Beans, Pumpkin, Tomato (final), Pumpkin (cure before frost), Broccoli (early plantings), Broccoli, Lettuce, Asian Greens, Silverbeet, Radish.
The strongest autumn performer in Melbourne depends on what you already grow, but high-yield, low-effort choices include Broccoli seedlings, Lettuce, Asian Greens. The full crop-by-crop guides are linked above.
Frost risk in Melbourne: June-August (outer suburbs), July-August (inner suburbs). 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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