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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 Warm Temperate zone
Climate Overview
| Zone | Max | Min | Rainfall | Conditions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Warm Temperate | 17-20°C | 8-11°C | 65-90mm | Late winter. Frost continuing but less severe. Days lengthening. |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sydney (AEST) | 6:47am – 5:15pm (10h 27m) | 6:34am – 5:25pm (10h 50m) | 6:15am – 5:36pm (11h 20m) | +53 min |
Trend: Melbourne gains a full hour! Spring is approaching fast.
Planting Guide
Warm Temperate 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.
- Apple (grafted tree, potted or bare-root)
- Artichokes (seed tray)
- Asparagus (crowns)
- Asparagus Pea (seed tray)
- Beetroot (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
- Blueberry (potted plant)
- Borage (sow direct, seed tray)
- Broccoli (transplant)
- Cabbage (seed tray, transplant)
- Cape Gooseberry (seed tray)
- Capsicum (seed tray)
- Carrot (sow direct)
- Celeriac (seed tray)
- Chilli peppers (seed tray)
- Chinese cabbage (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
- Chives (seed tray)
- Collards (sow direct, seed tray)
- Coriander (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
- Dill (sow direct, seed tray)
- Eggplant (seed tray)
- Fennel (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
- Fig (potted or bare-root tree, or cuttings)
- Horseradish (root cuttings)
- Jerusalem Artichokes (tubers)
- Kale (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
- Kohlrabi (sow direct, seed tray)
- Leeks (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
- Lemon Balm (seed tray)
- Lettuce (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
- Mint (cuttings or divisions)
- Mizuna (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
- Mulberry (potted or bare-root tree, or cuttings)
- Mustard greens (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
- Onion (transplant)
- Pak Choy (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
- Parsley (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
- Parsnip (sow direct)
- Peach (grafted tree, potted or bare-root)
- Pear (grafted tree, potted or bare-root)
- Peas (sow direct, transplant)
- Pecan (grafted tree, potted or bare-root)
- Persimmon (grafted tree, potted or bare-root)
- Plum (grafted tree, potted or bare-root)
- Pomegranate (potted or bare-root tree, or cuttings)
- Potato (seed potatoes)
- Radish (sow direct)
- Raspberry (canes or suckers)
- Rhubarb (crowns)
- Rocket (sow direct)
- Salsify (sow direct)
- Silverbeet (seed tray, transplant)
- Snow Peas (sow direct, transplant)
- Spinach (sow direct, transplant)
- Spring Onion (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
- Sunflower (sow direct)
- Sweet Marjoram (seed tray)
- Thyme (seed tray)
- Tomato (seed tray)
- Turnip (sow direct)
- Walnut (grafted tree, potted or bare-root)
- Yam/Oca (tubers)
- Asparagus
- Avocado
- Borage
- Broad Beans
- Broccoli
- Cabbage
- Carrot
- Celeriac
- Chives
- Collards
- Coriander
- Daikon
- Dill
- Grapefruit
- Horseradish
- Jerusalem Artichokes
- Kale
- Kohlrabi
- Leeks
- Lemon
- Lettuce
- Lime
- Macadamia
- Mandarin
- Mizuna
- Mustard greens
- NZ Spinach
- Orange
- Pak Choy
- Parsley
- Parsnip
- Peas
- Radish
- Rocket
- Rosemary
- Rutabaga
- Sage
- Salsify
- Savory – winter savory
- Silverbeet
- Snow Peas
- Spinach
- Spring Onion
- Thyme
- Yam
- Yam/Oca
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
- Potato month: Prime planting time in frost-free areas
- 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
- Seedlings indoors: Continue tomatoes, capsicum, eggplant
- Hungry gap: Food prices rising – between seasons
- Spring approaching: Wattle blooming, days lengthening