When to Plant Sweet Marjoram in Canberra, Cold / Highland Guide
Sow August to November. Right now in September you can sow.
Published · Last reviewed · By Garden Buddy
Growing advice is reviewed by hand. Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.
This Sweet Marjoram guide is written for the Cold / Highland zone, which takes in Canberra, Cooma and Bright. Somewhere else? Your postcode picks the right one.
Not your zone? Cairns Brisbane Sydney Melbourne Alice Springs Perth
Also handy: will it frost this week? and what grows in shade.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
A tender perennial (grown as annual in cold zones) closely related to oregano but with a sweeter, more delicate flavour. Essential in French and Mediterranean cooking. More cold-sensitive than oregano. Forms a compact bushy plant to 30-40cm. Often confused with oregano but the flavour is distinctly different.
Planting Calendar for Cold / Highland
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | S | S/T/D | S/T/D | T/D | - |
S = Seed Tray T = Transplant D = Direct Sow
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Current Growing Conditions
Soil temperature: 11.2°C (optimal range: 10–25°C) ✓ Ready to plant
Modelled from Open-Meteo forecast (Canberra), not a live sensor.
How to Grow Sweet Marjoram in Cold / Highland Australia
When to Plant
Plant Nov-Dec. Annual only.
- Soil
- Well-drained, light soil with some organic matter. Not as lean as oregano prefers.
- pH Range
- 6.5-7.5
- Sunlight
- Full sun. At least 6 hours.
- Spacing
- 20cm apart, 30cm between rows
- Watering
- Moderate. More water-needy than oregano but still prefers drying between waterings.
Companion plants: Most vegetables, Other Mediterranean herbs
Cold / Highland Growing Tips for Sweet Marjoram
Recommended Varieties
- Standard sweet marjoram
Key Challenges
- Very short season
- Frost-tender
Pro Tips
- Container growing under cover gives longest season
- Or use dried marjoram from warmer-zone harvest
Harvesting Sweet Marjoram
When ready: Harvest once plant is bushy at 15cm+. Best just before flowering.
How to harvest: Snip stems above leaf pair. Regular harvesting delays flowering.
Common Sweet Marjoram Pests in Cold / Highland Zones
Organic prevention: Healthy plants in full sun.
Where to next
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Open the planting dashboard Join Garden BuddyCommon Questions About Sweet Marjoram
When do you plant sweet marjoram in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): Apr to Jun
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Sep to Nov
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Aug to Oct
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): Aug to Oct
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): Aug to Nov
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): Jul to Sep
- Mediterranean (Perth): Aug to Oct
Does sweet marjoram grow all year round in Canberra?
No. In the Cold / Highland zone the planting months are Aug to Nov. Outside that window it either bolts, sulks or gets cut down by the weather.
Which zone am I in?
Type your postcode into the box under the heading and the page tells you, and links this crop in your own zone if it differs. Or look it up on the grow zone map. This page is the Cold / Highland zone, Canberra is its reference city.