When to Plant Burdock in Melbourne, Cool Temperate Guide
Soil temperature is modelled from Open-Meteo forecast (Melbourne), not a live sensor.
What this month normally looks like in Cool Temperate
In October the Cool Temperate zone normally runs 19°C by day and 8°C overnight, with about 67 mm of rain over 9 or 10 wet days. The coldest October night on record across the zone was -3.0°C, so a late frost is not out of the question. Averages 1991 to 2026, 28 postcodes, SILO.
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This Burdock guide is written for the Cool Temperate zone, which takes in Melbourne, Hobart and Geelong. Somewhere else? Your postcode picks the right one.
Not your zone? Cairns Brisbane Sydney Canberra Alice Springs Perth
Also handy: will it frost this week? and what grows in shade.
- Planting window
- Sep to Mar
- Days to harvest
- about 17 weeks
- Sun
- Full sun
- Water
- Low
- Spacing
- 20 cm apart
- Soil pH
- 6.5–7.5
Burdock, or gobo, is a biennial grown for its very long, slim roots. The roots are eaten in Japanese cooking. It needs deep, loose soil and about 4 to 5 months.
Published · By GardenBuddy.au
Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Planting Calendar for Cool Temperate
- Jan S/T/D
- Feb S/T/D
- Mar T
- Apr -
- May -
- Jun -
- Jul -
- Aug -
- Sep S/D
- Oct S/T/D
- Nov S/T/D
- Dec S/T/D
S = Seed Tray T = Transplant D = Direct Sow
Want a nudge when it is sowing time?
One email a week with what is worth planting in the Cool Temperate zone right now, Burdock included, plus which veg has jumped in price at the supermarket. Free, and you can stop it in one click.
How to Grow Burdock in Cool Temperate Australia
- Soil
- Deep, well drained soil cultivated to at least 60 cm (Seed Collection). Well cultivated, deeply dug soil, pH 6.5 to 7.5 (Organic Gardener).
- Salt
- Moderately sensitive. Copes with a little salt, but the harvest drops on salty bore water.
- pH Range
- 6.5-7.5
- Sunlight
- Part or full sun (Seed Collection).
- Spacing
- 20cm apart, 60cm between rows
- Watering
- Water infrequently but deeply so roots chase moisture. Do not let soil become waterlogged (Organic Gardener, Seed Collection).
- Good companions
- Dwarf Beans, Lettuce, Peas, Comfrey
- Keep away from
- Carrot, Parsnip, Potato, Salsify
- Grow before it
- Fruiting crops (Tomato, Capsicum, Zucchini)
- Grow after it
- Legumes (Beans - Dwarf, Peas, Broad Beans)
Give the bed 3 turns before root crops go back in. Roots fork and go leafy in fresh manure, so they take the bed after the heavy feeders have used it.
Cool Temperate Growing Tips for Burdock
Recommended Varieties
- Takinogawa Long
Key Challenges
- Needs deep loose soil
- Flowering and burr spread
Pro Tips
- Dig soil 60 cm deep
- Remove flowers before burrs set
Pests and problems for Burdock in Cool Temperate
Harvesting Burdock
When ready: Best harvested when roots are 50 to 60 cm long. Longer roots can turn tough and woody (Seed Collection).
How to harvest: Dig deeply with a garden fork, then gently tug the tops until the plant comes free (Organic Gardener).
What members get
- Soil and weather from your nearest station
- An email when it's time to sow
- Your own garden plan, including planning from a photo
- Price history and price alerts
- Pest risk alerts for your area
- Full salt and canning detail
Common Questions About Burdock
When do you plant burdock in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): Apr to Jul
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Jan to Jun, Aug to Dec
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Jan to Apr, Aug to Dec
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): Jan to Mar, Sep to Dec
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): Sep to Dec
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): Jan to Jun, Aug to Dec
- Mediterranean (Perth): Jan to Apr, Aug to Dec
Can you grow burdock all year round in Melbourne?
No. In the Cool Temperate zone the planting months are Jan to Mar, Sep to Dec. Outside that window it either bolts, sulks or gets cut down by the weather.
When should I plant Burdock in Melbourne?
Gardenate lists January to March and September to December. Roots take about 5 months from a spring sowing and about 8 from autumn (Organic Gardener).
What soil temperature do Burdock need?
Burdock germinate best when soil temperature is between 20°C and 25°C.
How do I know when Burdock are ready to harvest?
Best harvested when roots are 50 to 60 cm long. Longer roots can turn tough and woody (Seed Collection).
What are the best Burdock varieties for Melbourne?
Recommended varieties for the Cool Temperate zone include: Takinogawa Long.
What grows well with Burdock?
Good companion plants for Burdock include: Dwarf Beans, Lettuce, Peas, Comfrey.
Are burdock salt tolerant?
Only a little. Burdock are moderately sensitive to salt, so the harvest drops on salty bore water. Mix salty water with rainwater, and mulch the bed.
Which zone am I in?
Type your postcode into the box near the top of the page and it 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 Cool Temperate zone, Melbourne is its reference city.