When to Plant Thyme in Melbourne, Cool Temperate Guide
Sow September to December. Right now in October you can sow.
Grow Thyme in your space
- Planting window
- A hardy woody perennial. Plant in spring in a sunny, well-drained spot and pick all year.
- Days to harvest
- about 13 weeks
- Sunlight
- Full sun. Maximum sun = maximum essential oil = maximum flavour.
- Water needs
- Minimal once established. Water young plants until rooted. Overwatering is the primary...
- Spacing
- 25cm apart, 30cm between rows
- Soil pH
- 6.0-8.0
Published · Last reviewed · By GardenBuddy.au
Growing advice is reviewed by hand. Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.
This Thyme 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.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Low-growing Mediterranean perennial subshrub with tiny aromatic leaves. Common/garden thyme (T. vulgaris) is the culinary standard; lemon thyme (T. x citriodorus) adds citrus notes. Extremely drought-tolerant, hates wet feet, and needs excellent drainage. Identical requirements to rosemary. Forms a low mat 15-30cm tall. Long-lived if drainage is right.
See what grows now in your own postcode
Planting Calendar for Cool Temperate
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | S/D | S/T/D | S/T/D | T |
S = Seed Tray T = Transplant D = Direct Sow
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Current Growing Conditions
Soil temperature: 14.8°C (optimal range: 15–25°C) ✗ Outside optimal range
Modelled from Open-Meteo forecast (Melbourne), not a live sensor.
What this month normally looks like
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.
How to Grow Thyme in Cool Temperate Australia
When to Plant
A hardy woody perennial. Plant in spring in a sunny, well-drained spot and pick all year.
- Soil
- Well-drained, lean, sandy or gravelly soil. Does NOT want rich soil.
- pH Range
- 6.0-8.0
- Sunlight
- Full sun. Maximum sun = maximum essential oil = maximum flavour.
- Spacing
- 25cm apart, 30cm between rows
- Watering
- Minimal once established. Water young plants until rooted. Overwatering is the primary killer.
Companion plants: Rosemary, Sage, Lavender, Cabbage, Strawberry, Tomato
Avoid planting near: Mint, Basil (different water needs)
Cool Temperate Growing Tips for Thyme
Recommended Varieties
- Common thyme
- Lemon thyme
- Creeping thyme
Key Challenges
- Wet cold winters can rot crowns
Pro Tips
- Excellent zone overall
- Gravel mulch around crown for winter
- Very cold hardy once established
Harvesting Thyme
When ready: Harvest from established plants (3+ months). Evergreen. Best flavour just before flowering.
How to harvest: Snip stem tips. Never cut into old woody growth, it won't regenerate. Always cut above green leafy growth.
Common Thyme Pests in Cool Temperate Zones
Fungal Infection and Aphids, risk: LOW (score: 27/100)Where to next
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Open the planting dashboard Join GardenBuddy.auCommon Questions About Thyme
When do you plant thyme in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): Apr to Jun
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Mar to Jun, Aug to Oct
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Mar to Apr, Aug to Nov
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): Sep to Dec
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): Sep to Dec
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): Mar to May, Aug to Oct
- Mediterranean (Perth): Mar to May, Aug to Nov
Does thyme grow all year round in Melbourne?
No. In the Cool Temperate zone the planting months are Sep to Dec. 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 Cool Temperate zone, Melbourne is its reference city.