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Australian planting calendar

What to plant in December in a Tropical garden

Explore 28 core planting options for December 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.

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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.

Possible / 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.

In the garden in December

Use these jobs when the stated conditions apply in your garden.

Water in the morning

When watering is needed, favour the early morning and direct water towards the roots with a suitable drip system or soaker hose.

When this applies: During summer heat when soil needs water; this is not a wet-season watering schedule.

Check mulch cover

Maintain suitable mulch to reduce moisture loss, moderate root temperature and suppress weeds.

When this applies: Assess existing cover and conditions before adding more.

Keep feet off garden beds

Use paths when tending the garden to avoid compacting soil around roots.

When this applies: A general care practice highlighted in the summer source, not unique to this season.

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

Water the roots, without wasting water

Only when the root area needs water. Prefer early morning, subject to local restrictions. Seeds and young plants need closer checks than established plants.

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.