When to Plant Lavender in Brisbane, Subtropical Guide
That soil figure is read off our own weather station in South East Queensland at 6:55 this morning, not a model.
What this month normally looks like in Subtropical
In October the Subtropical zone normally runs 27°C by day and 15°C overnight, with about 77 mm of rain over 7 wet days. The coldest October night on record across the zone was -0.2°C, so a late frost is not out of the question. Averages 1991 to 2026, 33 postcodes, SILO.
Jump to section
This Lavender guide is written for the Subtropical zone, which takes in Brisbane, the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast. Somewhere else? Your postcode picks the right one.
Not your zone? Cairns Sydney Melbourne Canberra Alice Springs Perth
Also handy: will it frost this week? and what grows in shade.
- Planting window
- Sep to Dec
- Days to harvest
- about 52 weeks
- Sun
- Full sun
- Spacing
- 60 cm apart
- Soil pH
- 7.0–8.0
Lavender is a woody Mediterranean shrub grown for scented flower spikes used dried, in sugar and syrups, and for bees.
Published · By GardenBuddy.au
Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Planting Calendar for Subtropical
- Jan -
- Feb -
- Mar -
- Apr -
- May -
- Jun -
- Jul -
- Aug -
- Sep S
- Oct S/T
- Nov S/T
- Dec T
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 Subtropical zone right now, Lavender included, plus which veg has jumped in price at the supermarket. Free, and you can stop it in one click.
How to Grow Lavender in Subtropical Australia
- Soil
- Very well drained, gritty or sandy; raised beds on clay (Yates, The Seed Collection).
- Salt
- Moderately sensitive. Copes with a little salt, but the harvest drops on salty bore water.
- pH Range
- 7.0-8.0
- Sunlight
- Full sun, at least 6 hours (Yates).
- Spacing
- 60cm apart, 80cm between rows
- Watering
- Water deeply once or twice a week in dry weather once established; never let it sit wet (Yates).
- Good companions
- Thyme, Rosemary, Silverbeet, Pear, Mandarin
- Keep away from
- thirsty leafy crops that need regular water
Subtropical Growing Tips for Lavender
Recommended Varieties
- Hidcote, Munstead, True English (The Seed Collection)
- French lavender for humid areas, lavandin for hot dry areas (Yates)
Key Challenges
- Humid summers, root rot
Pro Tips
- Full sun, very well drained soil (Yates).
- Prune by one third after flowering (Yates).
- Choose the species for your climate (Yates).
Pests and problems for Lavender in Subtropical
Harvesting Lavender
When ready: Flower spikes coloured but buds not yet fully open (The Seed Collection); cut early in the morning (Yates).
How to harvest: Cut stems with secateurs, bunch and hang to dry (The Seed Collection).
Storing and preserving lavender
How to keep it
- Drying. Hang bunches in a dark airy place until stems snap, strip buds, store airtight. Keeps: 12 months.
- Lavender sugar. Layer dried buds in caster sugar for 2 weeks, sift. Keeps: 12 months.
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 Lavender
When do you plant lavender in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): not recommended
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Sep to Dec
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Sep to Dec
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): Sep to Dec
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): Oct to Dec
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): Sep to Dec
- Mediterranean (Perth): Sep to Dec
Can you grow lavender all year round in Brisbane?
No. In the Subtropical zone the planting months are Sep to Dec. Outside that window it either bolts, sulks or gets cut down by the weather.
When should I plant Lavender in Brisbane?
Sow seed in trays from September to November and plant out seedlings, or plant nursery plants, from September to December (The Seed Collection chart for subtropical areas). Yates says French lavender (Lavandula dentata) does best in warm humid areas; English lavender struggles. Plant in full sun on very well drained soil. Nursery plant months are our estimate.
What soil temperature do Lavender need?
Lavender germinate best when soil temperature is between 18°C and 21°C.
How do I know when Lavender are ready to harvest?
Flower spikes coloured but buds not yet fully open (The Seed Collection); cut early in the morning (Yates).
What are the best Lavender varieties for Brisbane?
Recommended varieties for the Subtropical zone include: Hidcote, Munstead, True English (The Seed Collection), French lavender for humid areas, lavandin for hot dry areas (Yates).
What grows well with Lavender?
Good companion plants for Lavender include: Thyme, Rosemary, Silverbeet, Pear, Mandarin.
Are lavender salt tolerant?
Only a little. Lavender 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 Subtropical zone, Brisbane is its reference city.