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.
October 2026 Farmers Almanac
Planting, moon and climate guide for the Cool Temperate zone
Updated 11 Oct 2026
2026 ENSO Update: El Niño is likely developing. Most climate models now forecast tropical Pacific warming right through spring and summer. That usually means below-average rainfall, above-average temperatures, and higher fire risk across eastern Australia. The Inigo Jones cycle (Bruckner dry phase) backs the drier read. Plan for drier conditions and higher fire danger.
Climate Overview
| Zone | Max | Min | Rainfall | Conditions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cool Temperate | 17-21°C | 9-12°C | 60-85mm | Warming. Still some cold nights. Fire danger can be elevated. |
Astronomical Events
Orionids Meteor Shower – peak around Oct 21-22:
Halley’s Comet debris, decent rates before dawn.
Moon Phases
🌗
Last Quarter
Oct 3
🌑
New Moon
Oct 11
🌓
First Quarter
Oct 19
🌕
Full Moon
Oct 26
Sunrise / Sunset
DST begins Oct 4 – clocks go FORWARD one hour. Days continue lengthening toward summer:
| City | 1st | 15th | Last | Daylight change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Melbourne (AEDT) | 5:56am – 6:24pm (12h 27m) | 6:35am – 7:37pm (13h 01m) | 6:14am – 7:53pm (13h 38m) | +71 min |
*Oct 31 times in AEDT (daylight saving). Melbourne’s apparent gain includes clock adjustment.
Planting Guide
Cool 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.
Plant Now
- Amaranth (seed tray)
- Angelica (seed tray, transplant)
- Artichokes (seed tray, transplant)
- Asparagus Pea (sow direct)
- Avocado (grafted tree, potted)
- Basil (seed tray)
- Beetroot (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
- Borage (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
- Broccoli (seed tray, transplant)
- Cabbage (seed tray, transplant)
- Cape Gooseberry (seed tray)
- Capsicum (seed tray)
- Carrot (sow direct)
- Celeriac (seed tray, transplant)
- Chilli peppers (seed tray)
- Chives (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
- Collards (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
- Coriander (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
- Cucumber (seed tray)
- Dill (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
- Endive (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
- French tarragon (cuttings or divisions)
- Ginger (rhizomes)
- Grapefruit (grafted tree, potted)
- Horseradish (root cuttings)
- Kale (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
- Kohlrabi (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
- Leeks (seed tray, transplant)
- Lemon (grafted tree, potted)
- Lemon Balm (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
- Lettuce (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
- Lime (grafted tree, potted)
- Luffa (seed tray)
- Macadamia (grafted tree, potted)
- Mandarin (grafted tree, potted)
- Mint (cuttings or divisions)
- Mizuna (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
- Mustard greens (sow direct, transplant)
- NZ Spinach (seed tray)
- Okra (seed tray)
- Orange (grafted tree, potted)
- Oregano (seed tray, transplant)
- Pak Choy (sow direct, transplant)
- Parsley (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
- Parsnip (sow direct)
- Passionfruit (grafted vine)
- Potato (seed potatoes)
- Pumpkin (seed tray)
- Radish (sow direct)
- Rocket (sow direct)
- Rockmelon (seed tray)
- Rosemary (cuttings or potted plants)
- Rutabaga (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
- Sage (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
- Salsify (sow direct)
- Savory – summer savory (seed tray)
- Savory – winter savory (seed tray, transplant)
- Silverbeet (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
- Spring Onion (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
- Squash (seed tray)
- Sunflower (seed tray)
- Sweet Corn (seed tray)
- Sweet Marjoram (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
- Thyme (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
- Tomatillo (seed tray)
- Tomato (seed tray)
- Turnip (sow direct)
- Watermelon (seed tray)
- Winter squash (seed tray)
- Yacon (crowns)
- Yam/Oca (tubers)
- Zucchini (seed tray)
Harvest
- Angelica
- Artichokes
- Asparagus
- Avocado
- Beetroot
- Borage
- Broad Beans
- Chives
- Collards
- Coriander
- Dill
- Endive
- French tarragon
- Grapefruit
- Kale
- Kohlrabi
- Leeks
- Lemon
- Lemon Balm
- Lettuce
- Mint
- Mizuna
- Mustard greens
- Onion
- Orange
- Oregano
- Pak Choy
- Parsley
- Peas
- Radish
- Rhubarb
- Rocket
- Rosemary
- Sage
- Savory – winter savory
- Silverbeet
- Snow Peas
- Spinach
- Spring Onion
- Thyme
- Turnip
Moon Planting Calendar
| Phase | Dates | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Waning (Full to Last Quarter) | Oct 1-3 | Root vegetables, garlic, onions, bulbs. Pruning. |
| Waning (Last Quarter to New) | Oct 3-11 | Soil preparation, composting, pest control. Rest period. |
| Waxing (New to First Quarter) | Oct 11-19 | Leafy greens and herbs. Sow above-ground crops that fruit outside the plant. |
| Waxing (First Quarter to Full) | Oct 19-26 | Fruiting crops – tomatoes, beans, cucurbits. Strongest above-ground planting energy. |
| Waning (Full to Last Quarter) | Oct 26-31 | Root vegetables, garlic, onions, bulbs. Pruning. |
Livestock Guide
Birth season is winding down. Weaner management is the job now and heat awareness starts for every mob.
Cattle
- Late calving
- Marking and tagging
- Pasture at peak
- Weaner preparation
Sheep & Goats
- Marking, mulesing if practiced
- Weaner education
- Fly awareness (blowfly season)
- Summer preparation
Poultry
- Production at peak
- Heat preparation beginning
- Shade provision
- Reduce flock if overcrowded
Bees
- Spring honey harvest possible
- Continue swarm management
- Queen productivity check
- Prepare for summer
Self-Sufficiency Focus
Fire Season Preparation
If you’re in a fire-prone area, now is the time to prepare. Clear gutters, rake up leaf litter, trim trees away from buildings, check your bushfire plan. Don’t wait until the first total fire ban day to think about this.
Priority harvest
Leeks, Lemon
Last plantings
Horseradish, Lemon Balm, Mizuna
Fire prep
Clear gutters, reduce fuel loads
Key Takeaways
- Daylight saving: October 4 – clocks forward, longer evenings
- Fire preparation: Clear gutters, reduce fuel loads
- Orionids: Meteor shower peaks October 21
- Heat approaching: Finish planting before it gets too hot
Methodology:
Climate figures for the Cool Temperate zone are Bureau of Meteorology 30 year averages. Astronomical times are computed with Skyfield and the NASA JPL DE421 ephemeris for Melbourne (Melbourne time). Planting and harvest windows come from the GardenBuddy.au zone planting master.