Vegetable Planting Guide for Otago and Southland: What to Plant Each Month

Month-by-month sowing dates for 165 vegetables, herbs, fruit and companion plants in Otago and Southland. Use this calendar to plan what to sow in Dunedin, Invercargill, Oamaru, Gore and Balclutha.

Otago and Southland are New Zealand's coldest lowland regions: short, cool summers and cold winters with hard frosts. The growing window is narrow, so fast-maturing and frost-hardy crops are the backbone. Tender summer crops need the warmest spot, cloches, or a tunnel house. Brassicas, roots, peas, and leafy greens reward gardeners here through long cool seasons. This guide covers Dunedin, Invercargill, Oamaru, Gore and Balclutha.

The green-highlighted cells show every month a plant can be sown. Sow at the beginning of the month for the fastest establishment, or stagger sowings across the window to extend your harvest. Plants with no sowing window for Otago and Southland in our data are not suited to the region and are left out. Frost dates differ from garden to garden, so check the frost dates by region page before you plant out anything tender.

The tables are grouped by the season in which most of a plant's sowing months fall: summer (December to February), autumn (March to May), winter (June to August) and spring (September to November). Plants that can be sown in every month are listed together at the end.

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Summer (December to February)

40 plants have most of their sowing months in this season.

Plant	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Leafy greens
Lettuce	Jan	Feb	Mar				Oct	Nov	Dec
Kale	Jan	Feb	Mar		Aug	Sep	Oct
Rocket		Feb	Mar				Oct	Nov	Dec
Amaranth									Dec
Brazilian Spinach									Dec
Kang Kong									Dec
Malabar Spinach									Dec
Mibuna	Jan	Feb	Mar				Oct	Nov	Dec
Pigface (Horokaka)	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr			Oct	Nov	Dec
Brassicas
Cauliflower	Jan	Feb	Mar		Aug	Sep	Oct
Broccolini		Feb					Oct	Nov	Dec
Brussels Sprouts	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr
Collards	Jan	Feb	Mar			Sep	Oct
Gai Lan		Feb	Mar				Oct	Nov	Dec
Mustard Greens	Jan	Feb	Mar				Oct	Nov	Dec
Wombok	Jan	Feb					Oct	Nov	Dec
Fruiting vegetables
Beans (bush)									Dec
Cucumber									Dec
Zucchini									Dec
Pumpkin									Dec
Sweet Corn									Dec
Watermelon									Dec
Rockmelon									Dec
Popcorn									Dec
Squash									Dec
Root vegetables
Carrot	Jan	Feb					Oct	Nov	Dec
Beetroot	Jan	Feb					Oct	Nov	Dec
Sweet Potato									Dec
Swede	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	Aug	Sep	Oct
Herbs
Basil									Dec
Bay Laurel	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr			Oct	Nov	Dec
Chamomile		Feb	Mar				Oct
Marjoram	Jan							Nov	Dec
Shiso (Perilla)									Dec
Thai Basil									Dec
Fruit, berries and nuts
Honeydew Melon									Dec
Companion flowers
Alyssum	Jan	Feb	Mar				Oct	Nov	Dec
Borage	Jan	Feb	Mar				Oct	Nov	Dec
Marigold	Jan							Nov	Dec
Nasturtium	Jan							Nov	Dec

Autumn (March to May)

5 plants have most of their sowing months in this season.

Plant	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct
Fruiting vegetables
Broad Beans		Apr	May	Jun		Aug	Sep	Oct
Root vegetables
Onion		Apr	May			Aug	Sep
Garlic		Apr	May	Jun	Jul
Shallot	Mar	Apr	May	Jun
Companion flowers
Sweet Pea	Mar	Apr					Sep	Oct

Winter (June to August)

28 plants have most of their sowing months in this season.

Plant	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep
Fruit, berries and nuts
Apple	Jun	Jul	Aug
Apricot	Jun	Jul	Aug
Blackberry	Jun	Jul	Aug
Blackcurrant	Jun	Jul	Aug
Blueberry	Jun	Jul	Aug
Boysenberry	Jun	Jul	Aug
Cherry	Jun	Jul	Aug
Elderflower	Jun	Jul	Aug
Fig	Jun	Jul	Aug
Gooseberry	Jun	Jul	Aug
Grape	Jun	Jul	Aug
Hazelnut	Jun	Jul	Aug
Kiwifruit	Jun	Jul	Aug
Medlar	Jun	Jul	Aug
Mulberry	Jun	Jul	Aug
Nashi	Jun	Jul	Aug
Nectarine	Jun	Jul	Aug
Peach	Jun	Jul	Aug
Pear	Jun	Jul	Aug
Persimmon	Jun	Jul	Aug
Plum	Jun	Jul	Aug
Pomegranate	Jun	Jul	Aug
Quince	Jun	Jul	Aug
Raspberry	Jun	Jul	Aug
Redcurrant	Jun	Jul	Aug
Sweet Chestnut	Jun	Jul	Aug
Walnut	Jun	Jul	Aug
Companion flowers
Culinary Rose	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep

Spring (September to November)

86 plants have most of their sowing months in this season.

Plant	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Leafy greens
Spinach		Feb	Mar	Apr		Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov
Silverbeet	Jan	Feb	Mar				Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Celery								Oct	Nov	Dec
Bok Choy		Feb	Mar	Apr			Sep	Oct	Nov
Chicory	Jan	Feb					Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Endive		Feb	Mar	Apr			Sep	Oct	Nov
Fennel							Sep	Oct	Nov
Good King Henry	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr			Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Komatsuna	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr			Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Mizuna	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr			Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
New Zealand Spinach (Kōkihi)									Nov	Dec
Radicchio	Jan	Feb					Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Sorrel	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr			Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Tatsoi		Feb	Mar					Oct	Nov
Watercress	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr			Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Brassicas
Broccoli	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr			Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Cabbage	Jan	Feb	Mar			Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov
Kohlrabi	Jan	Feb	Mar				Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Fruiting vegetables
Tomato							Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Peas							Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Capsicum									Nov	Dec
Eggplant									Nov	Dec
Chilli									Nov	Dec
Asparagus							Sep	Oct	Nov
Edamame									Nov	Dec
Florence Fennel								Oct	Nov	Dec
Globe Artichoke	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr		Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Hibiscus									Nov	Dec
Quinoa									Nov	Dec
Rhubarb							Sep	Oct	Nov
Scarlet Runner Bean									Nov	Dec
Snow Peas							Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Tomatillo									Nov	Dec
Root vegetables
Potato	Jan							Oct	Nov	Dec
Spring Onion	Jan	Feb	Mar			Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Radish	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr			Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Leek	Jan						Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Celeriac	Jan						Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Daikon		Feb	Mar				Sep	Oct	Nov
Hamburg Parsley	Jan						Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Horseradish								Oct	Nov
Jerusalem Artichoke							Sep	Oct	Nov
Parsnip	Jan						Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Salsify	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr			Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Scorzonera	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr			Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Turnip	Jan	Feb	Mar				Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Herbs
Coriander	Jan		Mar					Oct	Nov	Dec
Parsley	Jan	Feb					Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Mint	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr		Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Rosemary	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr			Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Thyme	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr		Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Oregano	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May		Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Chives	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May		Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Dill		Feb	Mar	Apr			Sep	Oct	Nov
Hops							Sep	Oct	Nov
Lemon Balm	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr			Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Lemon Verbena									Nov	Dec
Lemongrass									Nov	Dec
Lovage	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr			Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Sage	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr			Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Sea Celery	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr			Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Stevia									Nov	Dec
Summer Savory									Nov	Dec
Tarragon	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr			Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Vietnamese Mint									Nov	Dec
Fruit, berries and nuts
Strawberry				Apr			Sep	Oct
Cape Gooseberry									Nov	Dec
Cumquat									Nov
Feijoa									Nov	Dec
Lemon Tree									Nov
Mandarin									Nov
Olive								Oct	Nov
Pepino									Nov
Companion flowers
Sunflower									Nov	Dec
Australian Native Violet	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr			Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Calendula	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr		Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Comfrey	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr			Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Cornflower	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr		Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Cosmos									Nov	Dec
Dahlia									Nov	Dec
Echinacea	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Lavender	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr			Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Snapdragon	Jan	Feb	Mar				Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Viola	Jan	Feb	Mar				Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Yarrow	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr			Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Zinnia									Nov	Dec

Year-Round (Can be sown any month)

6 plants can be sown in every month of the year.

Plant	Type	Sowing window
Broccoli Sprouts	Microgreens and sprouts	January to December
Pea Shoots	Microgreens and sprouts	January to December
Radish Sprouts	Microgreens and sprouts	January to December
Sunflower Microgreens	Microgreens and sprouts	January to December
Oyster Mushroom	Mushrooms	January to December
Shiitake	Mushrooms	January to December

Turn This Calendar Into Your Garden Plan

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Otago and Southland Garden Planner cover

The Otago and Southland Garden Planner

An undated planting calendar, sowing log and harvest journal for Dunedin, Invercargill, Oamaru, Gore and Balclutha. Every month opens with what to sow, plant out and pick, taken from this calendar, and the facing pages are yours to write in. The printable PDF is available on this site.

See the planner

Planting calendars for other New Zealand regions

Gardening somewhere else? Each region has its own sowing windows. For the whole country at a glance, see what vegetables to plant now in New Zealand, or open the Otago and Southland planting calendar page for what to sow this month.

Frequently Asked Questions

How short is the growing season in Otago and Southland?

Otago and Southland are New Zealand's coldest lowland regions, with short, cool summers and cold winters with hard frosts. The growing window is narrow, so fast-maturing and frost-hardy crops are the backbone.

When should I sow tomatoes in Otago and Southland?

In this calendar tomato is sown from September to December. Sow under cover from September, then plant out from mid November after the last frost. Early types against a sunny wall or in a greenhouse give the best crop.

Why are some plants missing from the Otago and Southland calendar?

The calendar lists every plant that has a sowing window for the region in our data. 28 plants in the library are marked as not suited to Otago and Southland, for example Lime Tree, Passionfruit, Pawpaw and Banana, so they do not appear. The note for Lime Tree reads: Too frost tender for Otago and Southland. Keep a Tahitian lime in a pot moved under cover for winter.

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