Every month
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.
Past months and the current month are free for everyone, so you can read back and see this month’s edition without needing an account. Months ahead of this one are for GardenBuddy.au members.
July 2026 Farmers Almanac
Planting, moon and climate guide for the Cold Highland zone
Climate Overview
| Zone | Max | Min | Rainfall | Conditions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cold Highland | 13°C avg | 0°C avg | 32mm avg | Coldest month. Mean minimum near zero, hard frosts standard. |
Astronomical Events
Moon Phases
Sunrise / Sunset
Days are getting longer again post-solstice. Here’s the welcome change across the month:
| City | 1st | 15th | Last | Daylight change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canberra (AEST) | 7:12am – 5:01pm (9h 48m) | 7:09am – 5:09pm (9h 59m) | 6:59am – 5:20pm (10h 20m) | +32 min |
Trend: Days lengthening – Melbourne gains over half an hour. Spring is coming.
Planting Guide
Cold Highland 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)
- Asparagus (crowns)
- Blueberry (potted plant)
- Broad Beans (sow direct)
- Fig (potted or bare-root tree, or cuttings)
- Horseradish (root cuttings)
- Mulberry (potted or bare-root tree, or cuttings)
- Onion (seed tray, transplant)
- 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)
- Raspberry (canes or suckers)
- Silverbeet (seed tray)
- Snow Peas (seed tray)
- Spinach (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
- Strawberries (runners)
- Walnut (grafted tree, potted or bare-root)
- Beetroot
- Broccoli
- Carrot
- Collards
- Horseradish
- Jerusalem Artichokes
- Kale
- Leeks
- Lemon
- Lime
- Mandarin
- Mustard greens
- Orange
- Parsley
- Parsnip
- Rocket
- Rosemary
- Rutabaga
- Salsify
- Silverbeet
- Spinach
- Spring Onion
- Thyme
- Yam/Oca
Moon Planting Calendar
| Phase | Dates | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Waning (Full to Last Quarter) | Jul 1-8 | Root vegetables, garlic, onions, bulbs. Pruning. |
| Waning (Last Quarter to New) | Jul 8-14 | Soil preparation, composting, pest control. Rest period. |
| Waxing (New to First Quarter) | Jul 14-21 | Leafy greens and herbs. Sow above-ground crops that fruit outside the plant. |
| Waxing (First Quarter to Full) | Jul 21-30 | Fruiting crops – tomatoes, beans, cucurbits. Strongest above-ground planting energy. |
| Waning (Full to Last Quarter) | Jul 30-31 | Root vegetables, garlic, onions, bulbs. Pruning. |
Livestock Guide
Late pregnancy management matters this month. Birth season is coming up fast.
Cattle
- Mid-winter care
- Supplementation critical for pregnant cows
- Monitor for cold stress
- Prepare calving areas
Sheep & Goats
- Late pregnancy
- Vaccinate for clostridial diseases
- Lambing/kidding preparation
- Shelter critical
Poultry
- Production at annual low
- Continue supplemental lighting
- Warm water essential – prevent freezing
- Order spring chicks
Bees
- Minimal intervention
- Check hive weight for stores
- Emergency feeding if needed
- Don't open on cold days
Self-Sufficiency Focus
Planning Season
This is actually the perfect time to plan your spring and summer gardens. The catalogues are out, the days are quiet, and you’ve got time to think about what worked and what didn’t last year. Order seeds now before popular varieties sell out.
Energy Management
Heating demand continues but solar output is slowly improving. By late July you’ll notice a slight uptick in daily generation. This is often the peak month for firewood consumption. Check your stores and source more if needed.
Key Takeaways
- Coldest month: Heavy frost in most zones – protect sensitive plants
- Day length increasing: Noticeable by mid-month post-solstice
- Order seeds: Popular varieties sell out – don’t wait
- Birth prep: Lambing and kidding season approaching
- Brussels sprouts: At their best after frost