What to Plant in January in Australia

Australian note: this page follows southern-hemisphere seasons, so January is in summer. The lists below are grouped by five climate zones: temperate, subtropical, tropical, arid and cool. The Australian Vegetable Garden Planner uses the same five zones. For every crop across the year, see the Australian vegetable planting calendar.

This month and next bring the hottest days and nights of the year, so most of the job is keeping what is already growing alive. Watering matters most, above all for pots, and heavy rain followed by heat brings out pests and disease.

What to plant in January, by climate

Australia spans five growing climates, so one list cannot fit all of them. Find yours below, then read the notes for that climate. January falls in Australian summer.

Crop lists show what both Gardenate and Deep Green Permaculture list for that climate. The two share a common lineage, so we treat them as one view and use ABC Organic Gardener's monthly column as the independent check. "Start under cover" marks heat-lovers those lists include that ABC advises keeping out of cold soil.

Where three sources agree in January

These 12 crops are given for January by all three of the Perth (WA Waste Authority), Adelaide (Green Adelaide) and Melbourne (City of Darebin) guides. They are temperate-zone city sources, not a statewide rule, so treat them as a cross-check and not a promise for Sydney, Canberra, Hobart or anywhere in the tropics or arid inland.

Temperate and cool gardens in January

• The big summer planting window is closing and the autumn one is opening.
• Sow broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower and swedes now to harvest in winter.
• Harvest early potatoes, garlic, shallots and globe artichokes.
• Pinch the growing tips of tall tomatoes so the plant puts its energy into ripening fruit.

Subtropical gardens in January

• Amaranth, kang kong, Ceylon spinach and sweet corn suit the heat, along with eggplant, capsicum, chilli, lettuce, basil, beans and zucchini.
• Protect new plantings from the heat.

Tropical gardens in January

• Planting conditions are poor while the monsoon is active. Wait for a gap between rain systems.
• Stick to wet-season crops: amaranth, kang kong, Ceylon spinach, asparagus pea, sweet corn and taro.

Arid and inland gardens in January

• Plant only if you can irrigate: sweet corn, zucchini, basil, tomato, cucumber, beans, silverbeet, summer squash and watermelon.
• Late January is the second tomato sowing in ABC Gardening Australia's two-crop pattern for arid areas.

Garden jobs for January

• Water deeply, and check pots daily in hot wind.
• Net fruit trees against birds and prop up heavy branches.
• Pick up fallen fruit in fruit fly areas.
• Watch for pests and disease after heavy rain.

Plan January on paper

Draw your beds in the free Vegetable Garden Layout Planner Tool, then keep the season together in the Australian Vegetable Garden Planner, which has a sowing chart for every climate. See every crop across the year in the Australian planting calendar, or read the growing guides.

Month by month

• January
• February
• March
• April
• May
• June
• July
• August
• September
• October
• November
• December

Questions about January

Common questions

Sources

• ABC Organic Gardener: What to plant in January
• Deep Green Permaculture: Australian gardening calendars
• Gardenate: Australia planting by zone, January
• ABC Gardening Australia: Top tomato tips

How we checked this

The table above uses three Tier 1 (government) sources for the temperate zone. We read the Perth and Adelaide guides on 4 November 2026 and checked the Melbourne guide on 3 November 2026.

• Green Adelaide, South Australian Government (Tier 1): what to plant when, the month lists and the plant-any-time list for Adelaide.
• Waste Authority of Western Australia (Tier 1): Edible School Garden Guide, the planting and harvest guide for Perth.
• City of Darebin, Victoria (Tier 1): Sow what when guide for Melbourne.

Sydney, Canberra, Hobart, Darwin, Cairns and Alice Springs lists have not been checked against a Tier 1 month table. The crop lists in the climate cards above come from the sources named in the Sources list and have not been changed by this check.

Added 4 November 2026: a Common questions section for January. They use only the two state-government guides above (Green Adelaide and the Waste Authority of Western Australia), and only where both lists were read. We show where the two guides differ and who says what. We did not add an answer for Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Hobart, Canberra or Darwin because no state-government month table was reached for those places.

Last reviewed: 31 October 2026