Australian planting calendar
What to plant in August in a Tropical garden
Explore 64 core planting options for August in the Tropical zone, with practical garden jobs and links to our growing guides.
These are broad climate-zone windows. Local weather, frost, soil conditions and your garden’s microclimate can shift timing. Check the plant guide before starting.
Not sure which zone applies? Find your zone before using this calendar. Want this tailored to your garden? Save your plants in My Garden.
Core planting options
The planting method matters: sowing seed and planting seedlings, tubers or nursery plants are different jobs. “Sow” means the underlying source does not specify direct sowing or trays.
Leafy greens
Amaranth
Sow
Core planting window: Apr–Aug
How to grow amaranthHerbs
Basil
Sow
Core planting window: All year
How to grow basilPods & fruit
Beans (bush/French)
Sow
Core planting window: Mar-Aug
How to grow beans (bush/french)Herbs
Bee balm
Sow
Core planting window: Apr-Sep
How to grow bee balmTropical & subtropical edibles
Bitter melon
Sow
Core planting window: Feb-Nov
How to grow bitter melonHerbs
Borage
Sow
Core planting window: May–Aug
How to grow borageLeafy & brassicas
Cabbage
Sow
Core planting window: Apr-Aug
How to grow cabbageEdible flowers
Calendula
Sow
Core planting window: Mar–May, Aug–Oct
How to grow calendulaFruiting crops
Cape gooseberry
Sow
Core planting window: Mar–Aug
How to grow cape gooseberryPods & fruit
Capsicum
Sow
Core planting window: All year
How to grow capsicumHerbs
Caraway
Sow
Core planting window: Mar-Oct
How to grow carawayEdible flowers
Carnation
Sow
Core planting window: Apr-Oct
How to grow carnationHerbs
Chamomile
Sow
Core planting window: All year
How to grow chamomileHerbs
Chervil
Sow
Core planting window: Aug-Sep
How to grow chervilPods & fruit
Chilli
Sow
Core planting window: All year
How to grow chilliPods & fruit
Choko
Plant sprouted fruit / nursery stock
Core planting window: Apr–Aug
How to grow chokoLegumes
Cowpeas
Sow direct
Core planting window: Jan,Jul-Aug,Oct-Dec
How to grow cowpeasPods & fruit
Cucumber
Sow
Core planting window: Feb-Sep
How to grow cucumberEdible flowers
Dahlia
Sow
Core planting window: Apr-Sep
How to grow dahliaRoots & bulbs
Daikon
Sow direct
Core planting window: Apr-Aug
How to grow daikonHerbs
Dandelion
Sow
Core planting window: Mar-Sep
How to grow dandelionFruit
Dragon fruit
Plant rooted cutting / nursery stock
Core planting window: All year outside waterlogged periods
How to grow dragon fruitPods & fruit
Edamame
Sow direct
Core planting window: Apr–Aug
How to grow edamamePods & fruit
Eggplant
Sow
Core planting window: All year
How to grow eggplantHerbs
Fenugreek
Sow
Core planting window: Mar-Nov
How to grow fenugreekVegetables
Florence fennel
Sow
Core planting window: Apr-Aug
How to grow florence fennelEdible flowers
French marigold
Sow
Core planting window: Mar–Oct
How to grow french marigoldLeafy greens
Garden cress
Sow
Core planting window: All year
How to grow garden cressTropical & subtropical edibles
Ginger
Plant rhizomes
Core planting window: Mar-Aug,Oct-Nov
How to grow gingerLeafy greens
Ice plant
Sow
Core planting window: Mar-Sep
How to grow ice plantPods & fruit
Lablab
Sow direct
Core planting window: All year
How to grow lablabLeafy & brassicas
Lettuce
Sow
Core planting window: Apr-Aug
How to grow lettuceLegumes
Lima bean
Sow
Core planting window: Feb-Oct
How to grow lima beanLeafy greens
Malabar spinach
Sow direct / transplant seedlings
Core planting window: All year
How to grow malabar spinachFruiting crops
Marrow
Sow
Core planting window: Mar-Aug
How to grow marrowHerbs
Marshmallow
Sow
Core planting window: All year
How to grow marshmallowHerbs
Meadowsweet
Sow
Core planting window: Mar-Sep
How to grow meadowsweetPods & fruit
Mung bean
Sow direct
Core planting window: Mar–Aug
How to grow mung beanLeafy greens
Mustard greens
Sow
Core planting window: Jan–Nov
How to grow mustard greensEdible flowers
Nasturtium
Sow
Core planting window: Feb–Sep
How to grow nasturtiumRoots & bulbs
Oca
Plant tubers
Core planting window: Jun-Aug
How to grow ocaFruiting crops
Okra
Sow
Core planting window: Mar–Sep
How to grow okraAsian greens
Pak choy
Sow
Core planting window: Apr-Aug
How to grow pak choyFruit
Papaya
Plant nursery stock
Core planting window: All year; avoid saturated peak-wet sites
How to grow papayaRoots & bulbs
Parsnip
Sow
Core planting window: Mar–Aug
How to grow parsnipBerries & compact fruit
Passionfruit
Sow
Core planting window: Aug-Dec
How to grow passionfruitHerbs
Perilla
Sow
Core planting window: Mar-Sep
How to grow perillaPods & fruit
Pigeon pea
Sow direct
Core planting window: All year
How to grow pigeon peaHerbs
Plantain
Sow
Core planting window: Mar-Sep
How to grow plantainPods & fruit
Pumpkin
Sow
Core planting window: Mar-Aug
How to grow pumpkinLeafy greens
Purslane
Sow
Core planting window: Jan,Aug-Dec
How to grow purslaneRoots & bulbs
Radish
Sow
Core planting window: All year
How to grow radishPerennial edibles
Rhubarb
Plant crowns / divisions
Core planting window: Jun–Sep
How to grow rhubarbHerbs
Salad burnet
Sow
Core planting window: Mar-Sep
How to grow salad burnetRoots & bulbs
Salsify
Sow direct
Core planting window: Apr-Aug
How to grow salsifyRoots & bulbs
Spring onions
Sow
Core planting window: Apr-Aug
How to grow spring onionsHerbs
Stinging nettle
Sow
Core planting window: Mar-Sep
How to grow stinging nettleEdible flowers
Sunflower
Sow
Core planting window: Mar–Nov
How to grow sunflowerPods & fruit
Sweet corn
Sow
Core planting window: All year
How to grow sweet cornRoots & tubers
Sweet potato
Plant slips / rooted cuttings
Core planting window: All year where drainage permits
How to grow sweet potatoBerries & compact fruit
Tamarillo
Sow
Core planting window: Aug-Nov
How to grow tamarilloTropical & subtropical edibles
Taro
Plant corms / suckers
Core planting window: Aug
How to grow taroLegumes
Yardlong bean
Sow
Core planting window: Feb-Oct
How to grow yardlong beanPods & fruit
Zucchini
Sow
Core planting window: Feb-Sep
How to grow zucchiniPossible / shoulder planting options
These sit at the edge of the planting window and need more care with local conditions. They are kept separate from the core options.
Roots & bulbs
Burdock
Sow
Core planting window: Apr–Jun
How to grow burdockVegetables
Celery
Sow
Core planting window: Apr
How to grow celeryLeafy greens
Chinese cabbage
Sow
Core planting window: Apr–Jul
How to grow chinese cabbageHerbs
Chives
Sow
Core planting window: Mar–Jul
How to grow chivesLegumes
Climbing beans
Sow
Core planting window: Apr–Jul
How to grow climbing beansLeafy greens
Collards
Sow
Core planting window: Apr–Jul
How to grow collardsHerbs
Dill
Sow
Core planting window: May–Jun
How to grow dillPerennial edibles
Globe artichoke
Sow
Core planting window: Apr–Jul
How to grow globe artichokeLeafy greens
Kale
Sow
Core planting window: Apr–May
How to grow kaleRoots & bulbs
Kohlrabi
Sow
Core planting window: Mar–Jul
How to grow kohlrabiHerbs
Lemon balm
Sow
Core planting window: May–Jul
How to grow lemon balmFruiting crops
Luffa
Sow
Core planting window: Mar–Jun
How to grow luffaLeafy greens
Mizuna
Sow
Core planting window: Apr–Jun
How to grow mizunaHerbs
Oregano
Sow
Core planting window: Apr–Jul
How to grow oreganoFruiting crops
Rockmelon
Sow
Core planting window: Mar–Jun
How to grow rockmelonHerbs
Sage
Sow
Core planting window: Apr–Jul
How to grow sageFruiting crops
Squash
Sow
Core planting window: Mar–Jul
How to grow squashHerbs
Sweet marjoram
Sow
Core planting window: Apr–May
How to grow sweet marjoramHerbs
Thyme
Sow
Core planting window: Jun–Jul
How to grow thymeLeafy greens
Warrigal greens
Sow
Core planting window: Apr
How to grow warrigal greensFruiting crops
Watermelon
Sow
Core planting window: Mar–Jul
How to grow watermelonIn the garden in August
Use these jobs when the stated conditions apply in your garden.
Keep dry-season soil protected
Inspect mulch and exposed soil, topping up only where needed so roots stay protected and water loss is reduced.
When this applies: Keep mulch clear of stems and check that water can penetrate it.
Year-round care
Check before watering
Check moisture around the roots and the rain forecast before watering. Water only where needed and follow local watering rules.
When this applies: Use the soil and plant needs to guide watering, rather than a fixed calendar interval.
How to do it
Check and top up garden mulch
When cover has thinned or bare soil needs protection. Assess what is already there before adding another layer.
Decide whether your plant needs water
Before watering, after useful rain, and more often when plants are young or weather is hot or windy. This is a check, not a fixed watering schedule.
Sources and timing
Planting windows come from The Garden Hand’s existing planting calendar. Follow each plant link for its full growing guide. Garden jobs retain their existing zone, month and condition rules; year-round care is shown separately.
- Waterwise gardening: Watering
© The State of Queensland. Adapted and abridged; sourced 17 September 2026. No endorsement implied.
CC BY 4.0 - Top End Ultimate Irrigation Guide
Cited for factual research only. Garden Archive wording is original; sourced 18 September 2026.
Copyright; research only - Waterwise gardening: Mulching
© The State of Queensland. Adapted and abridged; sourced 17 September 2026. No endorsement implied.
CC BY 4.0