Garden Guide

Garden Guide for Perth, Southwest Australia

Perth enjoys a lovely Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters. You'll find the soils here are often quite sandy, so they'll really benefit from a good helping of compost to help them retain moisture and nutrients. What's more, those mild year-round temperatures mean you can grow a wide variety of crops continuously!

Here in Perth, in Climate Zone 11a, you're in luck! Our practically frost-free climate means you can garden all year round. For example, you can sow your lettuce from September right through until February and enjoy harvests until March. Give your tomatoes a head start by sowing them indoors from August to September, then harvest those juicy fruits from December to March. And for courgettes, start them indoors from September to October, ready for harvesting from December to March.

Zone 11a Frost-free Mediterranean

There is practically no frost in Perth. You can garden year-round, the calendar shows the most reliable growing windows.

Also applies to: Fremantle, Rockingham, Mandurah, Bunbury, Geraldton, Busselton

Plan your Perth garden in the Fryd app

Planting Calendar

When to start indoors, sow outdoors, and harvest in Perth. Frost-free climate: the windows are a guide, many crops can be sown beyond them too.

Light Water Nutrients

Start indoors Sowing Harvest

Planting calendar for Perth, Zone 11a
Crop	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Tomato (Bush tomato) ●●● ●●○ ●●●
Tomato (Cocktail bush tomato) ●●● ●●○ ●●●
Pepper / Paprika ●●● ●●○ ●●●
Cucumber / Gherkin ●●● ●●○ ●●●
Courgette / Zucchini ●●● ●●● ●●●
Bean (Dwarf bean) ●●● ●●○ ●○○
Bean (Runner bean) ●●● ●●○ ●○○
Chili ●●● ●●○ ●●●
Aubergine / Eggplant ●●● ●●● ●●●
Lettuce (Lettuce) ●●○ ●●○ ●●○
Chard ●●○ ●●○ ●●○
Spinach (Summer) ●○○ ●●● ●●○
Beetroot ●●● ●●○ ●●○
Carrots ●●● ●●○ ●○○
Onion ●●● ●●○ ●●○
Onion (Spring onion) ●●● ●●○ ●●○
Garlic ●●● ●●○ ●○○
Leeks ●●○ ●●○ ●●●
Basil ●●● ●●○ ●●●
Parsley ●●○ ●●○ ●●○

Tomato (Bush tomato) ●●● ●●○ ●●●

Tomato (Cocktail bush tomato) ●●● ●●○ ●●●

Pepper / Paprika ●●● ●●○ ●●●

Cucumber / Gherkin ●●● ●●○ ●●●

Courgette / Zucchini ●●● ●●● ●●●

Bean (Dwarf bean) ●●● ●●○ ●○○

Bean (Runner bean) ●●● ●●○ ●○○

Chili ●●● ●●○ ●●●

Aubergine / Eggplant ●●● ●●● ●●●

Lettuce (Lettuce) ●●○ ●●○ ●●○

Chard ●●○ ●●○ ●●○

Spinach (Summer) ●○○ ●●● ●●○

Beetroot ●●● ●●○ ●●○

Carrots ●●● ●●○ ●○○

Onion ●●● ●●○ ●●○

Onion (Spring onion) ●●● ●●○ ●●○

Garlic ●●● ●●○ ●○○

Leeks ●●○ ●●○ ●●●

Basil ●●● ●●○ ●●●

Parsley ●●○ ●●○ ●●○

Planting Calendar Perth

Tomato (Bush tomato): Start indoors Aug - Sep, Sowing Oct - Nov, Harvest Jan - Dec (Light: high, Water: medium, Nutrients: high)
Tomato (Cocktail bush tomato): Start indoors Aug - Sep, Sowing Oct - Nov, Harvest Jan - Dec (Light: high, Water: medium, Nutrients: high)
Pepper / Paprika: Start indoors Jul - Aug, Sowing Oct - Nov, Harvest Jan - Dec (Light: high, Water: medium, Nutrients: high)
Cucumber / Gherkin: Start indoors Sep - Oct, Sowing Oct - Nov, Harvest Jan - Dec (Light: high, Water: medium, Nutrients: high)
Courgette / Zucchini: Start indoors Sep - Oct, Sowing Oct - Nov, Harvest Jan - Dec (Light: high, Water: high, Nutrients: high)
Bean (Dwarf bean): Start indoors Sep - Oct, Sowing Oct - Dec, Harvest Jan - Dec (Light: high, Water: medium, Nutrients: low)
Bean (Runner bean): Start indoors Sep - Oct, Sowing Oct - Dec, Harvest Jan - Dec (Light: high, Water: medium, Nutrients: low)
Chili: Start indoors Jun - Aug, Sowing Oct - Dec, Harvest Jan - Dec (Light: high, Water: medium, Nutrients: high)
Aubergine / Eggplant: Start indoors Aug - Oct, Sowing Oct - Nov, Harvest Jan - Dec (Light: high, Water: high, Nutrients: high)
Lettuce (Lettuce): Start indoors Jan - Dec, Sowing Jan - Dec, Harvest Jan - Dec (Light: medium, Water: medium, Nutrients: medium)
Chard: Start indoors Jun - Sep, Sowing Sep - Nov, Harvest Jan - Dec (Light: medium, Water: medium, Nutrients: medium)
Spinach (Summer): Sowing Aug - Oct, Harvest Sep - Dec (Light: low, Water: high, Nutrients: medium)
Beetroot: Start indoors Sep, Sowing Sep - Dec, Harvest Jan - Dec (Light: high, Water: medium, Nutrients: medium)
Carrots: Sowing Aug - Nov, Harvest Jan - Dec (Light: high, Water: medium, Nutrients: low)
Onion: Start indoors Jun - Jul, Sowing Aug - Sep, Harvest Jan - Dec (Light: high, Water: medium, Nutrients: medium)
Onion (Spring onion): Start indoors Jan - Dec, Sowing Feb - May, Harvest May - Sep (Light: high, Water: medium, Nutrients: medium)
Garlic: Sowing Feb - Apr, Harvest Jan - Dec (Light: high, Water: medium, Nutrients: low)
Leeks: Start indoors Aug - Sep, Sowing Sep - Oct, Harvest Mar - May (Light: medium, Water: medium, Nutrients: high)
Basil: Start indoors Aug - Dec, Sowing Oct - Dec, Harvest Jan - Dec (Light: high, Water: medium, Nutrients: high)
Parsley: Start indoors Jan - Dec, Sowing Jan - Dec, Harvest Jan - Dec (Light: medium, Water: medium, Nutrients: medium)

Based on Fryd planting data for Zone 11a, 2026.

Companion Planting for Perth

Plants that thrive together in Southwest Australia.

Carrots + Tomato (Bush tomato)

Onion + Tomato (Bush tomato)

Carrots + Tomato (Cocktail bush tomato)

Onion + Tomato (Cocktail bush tomato)

Garlic + Pepper / Paprika

Plan companions visually

Drag and drop crops in the Fryd bed planner to see companion matches.

Try Fryd →

Growing Tips for Perth

Give Your Seeds a Head Start

Many vegetables, like lettuce or Swiss chard, really benefit from getting a head start indoors. Just sow your seeds in a fine seed compost and gently firm them down – this creates the perfect conditions for them to sprout. Remember to keep the soil consistently moist, but never soggy.

Optimise Your Soil

Since Perth's soils are often quite sandy, getting them ready is vitally important. Dig deep to loosen the soil and mix in plenty of lovely humus or compost. This will really help it retain water and nutrients, which is especially key for thirsty crops like onions and courgettes.

Ensure Regular Watering

Especially during those dry summer months, making sure your plants get enough consistent water is absolutely vital. Thirsty plants like spinach and cucumbers really need a lot of water and will suffer if they dry out. A good layer of mulch will also help keep that precious moisture locked in the soil.

Choose a Sunny Spot

Most vegetables, including carrots, onions, and basil, absolutely thrive in full sun and warmth. Choose a spot in your garden that gets at least six hours of direct sunlight every day. This will really encourage strong growth and lead to a fantastic harvest!

Common Pests & Diseases

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Deal with Aphids Naturally

Aphids can really weaken your plants. Try spraying affected plants with a mix of water and insecticidal soap, or invite some beneficial insects like ladybirds into your garden. Regular checks will help you spot a serious infestation early on.

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Keep Snails Away

Snails are very active, especially when it's damp, and they love to munch on young plants. You can try setting up snail fences or beer traps to keep them away from your precious vegetables. Even scattering some coffee grounds can help deter them!

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Prevent Fungal Diseases

To keep fungal diseases like powdery mildew at bay, make sure there's good air circulation between your plants. Always water your plants at the base, and try to avoid getting the leaves wet, especially in the evening. Picking robust, disease-resistant varieties is also a great way to protect them.

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Boost Plant Health

Strong, well-fed plants are much more resilient against pests and diseases. Make sure they're getting a balanced diet of nutrients and try to avoid stress factors like not enough water or too much fertiliser. What's more, a diverse garden planting scheme will encourage plenty of helpful insects!

Frequently Asked Questions

When do you plant tomatoes in Perth?

For tomatoes in Perth, it's best to start them indoors from August to September. You can then sow them directly outdoors or transplant your seedlings in November. You'll be harvesting those delicious tomatoes from December right through until March!

What climate zone is Perth?

Perth falls into Climate Zone 11a. This means we enjoy a very mild climate with virtually no frosts! It's fantastic because it lets you grow a huge variety of vegetables and herbs all year round.

Which vegetables grow well in Perth?

Thanks to our lovely mild climate, lots of vegetables absolutely thrive in Perth! You'll have great success with lettuce, spinach, Swiss chard, carrots, courgettes, aubergines, beans, cucumbers, and all sorts of tomatoes. Herbs like basil and parsley also feel right at home here.

Is there frost in Perth?

No, Perth is practically frost-free! Our mild climate means you can garden all year round without worrying about late or early frosts. It really opens up a world of growing possibilities!