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Farmers almanac
One almanac per growing zone, published every month. Pick your zone and month below for the full picture: what to plant now, what should be coming ready to harvest, the moon planting calendar, sunrise and sunset for your zone, and the climate averages you can expect from Bureau of Meteorology records.
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August 2026 Farmers Almanac
Planting, moon and climate guide for the Tropical zone
Climate Overview
| Zone | Max | Min | Rainfall | Conditions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tropical | 31-32°C | 19-22°C | 20-35mm | Dry season continues. Excellent growing. Build-up begins late month. |
Astronomical Events
Moon Phases
Sunrise / Sunset
Days are lengthening noticeably as we head toward spring. Here’s the welcome change across the month:
| City | 1st | 15th | Last | Daylight change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cairns (AEST) | 6:42am – 6:04pm (11h 21m) | 6:35am – 6:07pm (11h 32m) | 6:24am – 6:10pm (11h 45m) | +24 min |
Trend: Melbourne gains a full hour! Spring is approaching fast.
Planting Guide
Tropical Zone
Planting windows from the GardenBuddy zone planting master (109 crops tracked for this zone). Harvest months are the verified zone harvest window where we have one, otherwise calculated from typical days to maturity.
- Amaranth (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
- Basil (seed tray, transplant)
- Beans – climbing (sow direct)
- Beans – dwarf (sow direct)
- Borage (sow direct)
- Cabbage (seed tray, transplant)
- Cape Gooseberry (sow direct, transplant)
- Capsicum (transplant)
- Chilli peppers (transplant)
- Chinese cabbage (transplant)
- Collards (transplant)
- Cucumber (sow direct, transplant)
- Fennel (transplant)
- Kale (transplant)
- Kohlrabi (transplant)
- Lettuce (sow direct, transplant)
- Mint (cuttings or divisions)
- Mizuna (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
- Mustard greens (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
- Okra (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
- Oregano (transplant)
- Pak Choy (sow direct, transplant)
- Persimmon (grafted tree, potted or bare-root)
- Pomegranate (potted or bare-root tree, or cuttings)
- Pumpkin (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
- Rocket (sow direct)
- Spinach (transplant)
- Spring Onion (sow direct, transplant)
- Squash (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
- Sunflower (sow direct, transplant)
- Sweet Corn (sow direct)
- Sweet Potato (slips)
- Winter squash (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
- Zucchini (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
- Amaranth
- Asparagus
- Asparagus Pea
- Banana
- Basil
- Beans – climbing
- Beans – dwarf
- Beetroot
- Blueberry
- Borage
- Broccoli
- Cabbage
- Cape Gooseberry
- Capsicum
- Carrot
- Celeriac
- Chilli peppers
- Chinese cabbage
- Chives
- Collards
- Coriander
- Cucumber
- Daikon
- Dill
- Eggplant
- Endive
- Fennel
- Fig
- Grapefruit
- Jerusalem Artichokes
- Kale
- Kohlrabi
- Leeks
- Lemon Balm
- Lemongrass
- Lettuce
- Luffa
- Mint
- Mizuna
- Mustard greens
- NZ Spinach
- Okra
- Onion
- Oregano
- Pak Choy
- Papaya
- Parsley
- Peanut
- Peas
- Potato
- Pumpkin
- Radish
- Rocket
- Rockmelon
- Rosemary
- Sage
- Salsify
- Savory – summer savory
- Savory – winter savory
- Silverbeet
- Snow Peas
- Spinach
- Spring Onion
- Squash
- Strawberries
- Sunflower
- Sweet Corn
- Sweet Marjoram
- Sweet Potato
- Thyme
- Tomatillo
- Tomato
- Turnip
- Watermelon
- Winged Bean
- Winter squash
- Yam
- Zucchini
Moon Planting Calendar
| Phase | Dates | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Waning (Full to Last Quarter) | Aug 1-6 | Root vegetables, garlic, onions, bulbs. Pruning. |
| Waning (Last Quarter to New) | Aug 6-13 | Soil preparation, composting, pest control. Rest period. |
| Waxing (New to First Quarter) | Aug 13-20 | Leafy greens and herbs. Sow above-ground crops that fruit outside the plant. |
| Waxing (First Quarter to Full) | Aug 20-28 | Fruiting crops – tomatoes, beans, cucurbits. Strongest above-ground planting energy. |
| Waning (Full to Last Quarter) | Aug 28-31 | Root vegetables, garlic, onions, bulbs. Pruning. |
Livestock Guide
Birth season kicks off properly. Busy weeks ahead, plan for early mornings and check rounds.
Cattle
- Pre-calving management
- Nutrition critical
- Calving paddocks ready
- Monitor closely
Sheep & Goats
- Lambing/kidding begins
- Close monitoring essential
- Shelter ready
- Colostrum supplies on hand
Poultry
- Production improving
- Natural daylight increasing
- Reduce supplemental lighting
- Order chicks for spring
Bees
- Spring preparation
- Check queens
- Add supers if needed
- Early spring flow possible
Self-Sufficiency Focus
The Late Winter Gap
This is traditionally the “hungry gap” – winter crops are finishing, spring crops aren’t ready yet. Prices at markets reflect this. If you’ve preserved well through summer and autumn, now’s when it pays off. If not, remember this feeling for next year’s planning.
Energy Outlook
Heating needs are declining but not gone. Solar output is improving noticeably. By late August, you should be generating more than early winter. This is a good time to service your solar system before the high-production months.
Key Takeaways
- Full Moon: August 28 – note: a partial lunar eclipse occurs on this date but is not visible from Australia (Americas, Europe, Africa only)
- Lambing begins: Intensive livestock management period
- Hungry gap: Food prices rising – between seasons
- Spring approaching: Wattle blooming, days lengthening