When to Plant Rosemary in Sydney, Warm Temperate Guide
Soil temperature is modelled from Open-Meteo forecast (Sydney), not a live sensor.
What this month normally looks like in Warm Temperate
In October the Warm Temperate zone normally runs 24°C by day and 13°C overnight, with about 66 mm of rain over 7 or 8 wet days. The coldest October night on record across the zone was -1.5°C, so a late frost is not out of the question. Averages 1991 to 2026, 153 postcodes, SILO.
Jump to section
This Rosemary guide is written for the Warm Temperate zone, which takes in Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong. Somewhere else? Your postcode picks the right one.
Not your zone? Cairns Brisbane Melbourne Canberra Alice Springs Perth
Also handy: will it frost this week? and what grows in shade.
- Planting window
- Mar to May, Sep to Nov
- Days to harvest
- about 13 weeks
- Sun
- Full sun
- Spacing
- 100 cm apart
- Soil pH
- 6.5–7.5
Iconic Mediterranean evergreen shrub with intensely aromatic needle-like leaves. Extremely drought-tolerant once established. HATES wet feet and humidity. Root rot kills more rosemary in Australia than anything else.
Published · By GardenBuddy.au
Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Best Planting Window for Warm Temperate
- Jan -
- Feb -
- Mar P
- Apr P
- May P
- Jun -
- Jul -
- Aug -
- Sep P
- Oct P
- Nov P
- Dec -
P = Planting window
A woody shrub planted from cuttings or potted plants in autumn or spring, in sharp drainage. Sprigs can be cut all year.
Want a nudge when it is sowing time?
One email a week with what is worth planting in the Warm Temperate zone right now, Rosemary included, plus which veg has jumped in price at the supermarket. Free, and you can stop it in one click.
How to Grow Rosemary in Warm Temperate Australia
- Soil
- Well-drained, lean, slightly alkaline soil. Sandy or gravelly. Does NOT want rich soil.
- Salt
- Moderately sensitive. Copes with a little salt, but the harvest drops on salty bore water.
- pH Range
- 6.5-7.5
- Sunlight
- Full sun. Minimum 6 hours. More = better.
- Spacing
- 100cm apart, 120cm between rows
- Watering
- Minimal once established. Water young plants weekly until rooted. Established plants need almost no supplementary water in temperate zones. OVERWATERING KILLS ROSEMARY.
- Good companions
- Dwarf Beans, Carrot, Cabbage, Thyme, Broccoli
- Keep away from
- Basil (different water needs), Mint
Warm Temperate Growing Tips for Rosemary
Recommended Varieties
- Tuscan Blue
- Common
- Prostrate
- Miss Jessops Upright
Key Challenges
- Humid summers in coastal areas
- Drainage still critical
Pro Tips
- Good zone for rosemary
- Lean soil and minimal water once established
- Makes excellent hedge plant
Pests and problems for Rosemary in Warm Temperate
Harvesting Rosemary
When ready: Harvest from established plants (6+ months old). Evergreen, available year-round.
How to harvest: Snip 10-15cm stem tips. Never cut into old leafless wood, it won't regrow. Always cut above green growth.
Storing and preserving rosemary
How to keep it
- Drying (excellent). Hang bundles in dark dry place 1-2 weeks. Strip leaves from stems. Rosemary dries exceptionally well with minimal flavour loss. Keeps: 12-18 months.
- Freezing. Strip leaves, freeze in bags. Or freeze whole sprigs. Or chop and freeze in oil cubes. Keeps: 6 months.
- Rosemary salt. Blend fresh rosemary with coarse salt (1:4 ratio). Spread on tray, dry in oven at 100C for 1 hour. Crumble and store. Keeps: 6 months.
- Rosemary oil. Pack fresh sprigs into sterilised bottle. Cover with mild olive oil. Seal and store 2-4 weeks. Strain. Use for cooking. Keeps: 3 months refrigerated.
What rosemary costs in the shops right now, retailer by retailer, updated daily.
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 Rosemary
When do you plant rosemary 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 May, Sep to Nov
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): Mar to Apr, Sep to Nov
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): Sep to Nov
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): Mar to May, Aug to Oct
- Mediterranean (Perth): Mar to May, Aug to Oct
When should I plant Rosemary in Sydney?
A woody shrub planted from cuttings or potted plants in autumn or spring, in sharp drainage. Sprigs can be cut all year.
What soil temperature do Rosemary need?
Rosemary germinate best when soil temperature is between 15°C and 20°C.
How do I know when Rosemary are ready to harvest?
Harvest from established plants (6+ months old). Evergreen, available year-round.
What are the best Rosemary varieties for Sydney?
Recommended varieties for the Warm Temperate zone include: Tuscan Blue, Common, Prostrate, Miss Jessops Upright.
What grows well with Rosemary?
Good companion plants for Rosemary include: Dwarf Beans, Carrot, Cabbage, Thyme, Broccoli.
Are rosemary salt tolerant?
Only a little. Rosemary 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 Warm Temperate zone, Sydney is its reference city.