Australian planting calendar
What to plant in September in a Tropical garden
Explore 50 core planting options for September 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.
Herbs
Anise
Sow
Core planting window: Jan-Feb,Sep-Dec
How to grow aniseHerbs
Basil
Sow
Core planting window: All year
How to grow basilHerbs
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 melonEdible flowers
Calendula
Sow
Core planting window: Mar–May, Aug–Oct
How to grow calendulaPods & 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
Cucumber
Sow
Core planting window: Feb-Sep
How to grow cucumberHerbs
Cumin
Sow
Core planting window: Sep-Nov
How to grow cuminEdible flowers
Dahlia
Sow
Core planting window: Apr-Sep
How to grow dahliaHerbs
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
Eggplant
Sow
Core planting window: All year
How to grow eggplantHerbs
Fenugreek
Sow
Core planting window: Mar-Nov
How to grow fenugreekEdible flowers
French marigold
Sow
Core planting window: Mar–Oct
How to grow french marigoldRoots & tubers
Galangal
Plant rhizome division / nursery stock
Core planting window: Sep–Dec
How to grow galangalLeafy greens
Garden cress
Sow
Core planting window: All year
How to grow garden cressHerbs
Hyssop
Sow
Core planting window: Jan-Feb,Sep-Dec
How to grow hyssopLeafy 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 lablabLegumes
Lima bean
Sow
Core planting window: Feb-Oct
How to grow lima beanHerbs
Lovage
Sow
Core planting window: Jan-Feb,Sep-Dec
How to grow lovageLeafy greens
Malabar spinach
Sow direct / transplant seedlings
Core planting window: All year
How to grow malabar spinachHerbs
Marshmallow
Sow
Core planting window: All year
How to grow marshmallowHerbs
Meadowsweet
Sow
Core planting window: Mar-Sep
How to grow meadowsweetLeafy 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 nasturtiumFruiting crops
Okra
Sow
Core planting window: Mar–Sep
How to grow okraFruit
Papaya
Plant nursery stock
Core planting window: All year; avoid saturated peak-wet sites
How to grow papayaBerries & 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 plantainLeafy 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 burnetHerbs
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 tamarilloRoots & tubers
Turmeric
Plant rhizomes
Core planting window: Sep–Dec
How to grow turmericHerbs
Water pepper
Sow
Core planting window: Jan-Feb,Sep-Dec
How to grow water pepperLegumes
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.
Herbs
Borage
Sow
Core planting window: May–Aug
How to grow borageRoots & bulbs
Burdock
Sow
Core planting window: Apr–Jun
How to grow burdockFruiting crops
Cape gooseberry
Sow
Core planting window: Mar–Aug
How to grow cape gooseberryVegetables
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 beansHerbs
Dill
Sow
Core planting window: May–Jun
How to grow dillHerbs
Lemon balm
Sow
Core planting window: May–Jul
How to grow lemon balmLeafy & brassicas
Lettuce
Sow
Core planting window: Apr-Aug
How to grow lettuceFruiting 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
Rosemary
Sow
Core planting window: May
How to grow rosemaryHerbs
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 September
Use these jobs when the stated conditions apply in your garden.
Review your organic mulch
Check whether organic mulch has broken down and needs replenishing. Choose a suitable material and keep it clear of stems.
When this applies: Top up only where needed. Fine mulch can compact and block water; do not automatically add a thick layer.
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: Mulching
© The State of Queensland. Adapted and abridged; sourced 17 September 2026. No endorsement implied.
CC BY 4.0 - Waterwise gardening: Watering
© The State of Queensland. Adapted and abridged; sourced 17 September 2026. No endorsement implied.
CC BY 4.0