Fruiting crops
Watermelon
Spreading vines with fruit left to ripen before picking.
Sowing & planting windows in Australia
Planting timing varies by broad Australian gardening zone. Local weather, unusual seasons and your garden’s microclimate can shift timing.
Cool
Sow · Sep–Oct
Core months: September, October
Possible / shoulder months: November, December
Temperate
Sow · Aug–Nov
Core months: August, September, October, November
Possible / shoulder months: December
Subtropical
Sow · Aug–Nov
Core months: August, September, October, November
Possible / shoulder months: January, July, December
Tropical
Sow · Mar–Jul
Core months: March, April, May, June, July
Possible / shoulder months: February, August, September, October, November
Arid
Sow · Aug–Nov
Core months: August, September, October, November
Possible / shoulder months: January, December
Getting started
Start seed in warmth or sow into warm soil after cold risk has passed; harden seedlings before planting out.
The right conditions
Choose full sun, fertile free-draining soil and reliable moisture.
As it grows
Give vines ample ground space, water deeply through flowering and fruit set, and avoid wetting foliage late in the day.
Ready to harvest
Harvest when the nearest tendril dries and the ground spot colours.
Plant guidance: Desk-reviewed; not field-tested. Planting windows are a guide rather than a rule.