Melbourne, VIC · Summer
What to sow, plant, and harvest in Melbourne 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
10
Climate
Temperate/Cool
Summer in Melbourne 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 temperate/cool territory, winter lows around 6°C, summer highs around 32°C, and the summer months (December, January, February) carry a recognisable rhythm that's worth knowing before you plant.
From seed in Melbourne this summer: Beans (quick-maturing), Cucumber, Basil, Spring Onion, Beans, Cucumber (quick-maturing varieties), Dill, Beans (last sowing), Beetroot, Carrot, Radish, Asian Greens. That's a long list, which is the upside of Melbourne's temperate/cool 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 Melbourne this summer: Eggplant, Sweet Potato, Capsicum (last chance), Zucchini, Eggplant (early month only), Sweet Potato slips, Zucchini (succession), Silverbeet, Lettuce (bolt-resistant), Broccoli (early season). 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 summer: Tomato (first fruit!), Zucchini, Beans, Cucumber (first), Garlic, Spring Onion, Tomato, Cucumber, Capsicum, Basil, Lettuce (early morning), Eggplant, Pumpkin (early). 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 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 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 summer (December, January, February), you can sow from seed: Beans (quick-maturing), Cucumber, Basil, Spring Onion, Beans, Cucumber (quick-maturing varieties), Dill, Beans (last sowing), Beetroot, Carrot, Radish, Asian Greens. From seedlings: Eggplant, Sweet Potato, Capsicum (last chance), Zucchini, Eggplant (early month only), Sweet Potato slips, Zucchini (succession), Silverbeet, Lettuce (bolt-resistant), Broccoli (early season).
Across Melbourne's summer months, you'll be harvesting: Tomato (first fruit!), Zucchini, Beans, Cucumber (first), Garlic, Spring Onion, Tomato, Cucumber, Capsicum, Basil, Lettuce (early morning), Eggplant, Pumpkin (early).
The strongest summer performer in Melbourne depends on what you already grow, but high-yield, low-effort choices include Eggplant, Sweet Potato, Capsicum (last chance). 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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