Melbourne & Southern Victoria | 19–25 October 2026

The weekly planting diary — where traditional lunar wisdom meets Melbourne’s notoriously unreliable spring weather.

Spring has finally decided to behave like spring. Well, for a few days anyway.

Melbourne gardeners can expect a warm start to the week, with temperatures climbing towards 28°C before showers, possible thunderstorms and a cooler change arrive towards the weekend.

Meanwhile, the Moon is waxing towards its full phase on Monday 26 October.

According to traditional moon-planting practice, this is a period associated with vigorous above-ground growth.

The tomatoes might be delighted. The lettuce may have other opinions.

And the gardener, as usual, gets to negotiate between the two.

This week’s moon-planting diary

Traditional practice — not scientifically established planting advice.

The Moon reaches its first quarter early on Monday 19 October, Melbourne time, and continues waxing throughout the week.

Traditional biodynamic calendars divide planting periods into root, flower, leaf and fruit days according to the Moon’s position in the zodiac.

For the coming week, the Southern Hemisphere calendar indicates:

These are calendar-day classifications. Exact transitions may occur during a day, and different moon-planting systems do not always agree.

There is also a traditional contradiction worth noting. The simple four-quarter lunar system generally favours root crops after the full Moon, whereas zodiac-based calendars identify root days throughout the lunar cycle.

Neither tradition overrides favourable growing conditions.

Reference: Southern Hemisphere Moon Planting Calendar — October 2026. The Gardeners Calendar

Melbourne’s weather reality check

The Bureau of Meteorology forecast available on Sunday 18 October suggests an unusually warm working week followed by a wetter weekend.

Monday should be sunny, reaching approximately 26°C, with northerly winds.

Tuesday remains warm at 26°C, although showers and possible thunderstorms are forecast for the afternoon and evening.

Wednesday should reach around 25°C, with another possibility of afternoon showers or thunderstorms.

Thursday looks particularly promising for outdoor gardening, with sunshine and a maximum around 28°C.

Friday remains warm at 28°C, but the chance of rain rises to 70%, with possible thunderstorms.

By Saturday, temperatures are expected to fall to approximately 21°C, with an 80% chance of showers.

The forecast indicates possible rainfall of up to 10 mm on Friday and 15 mm on Saturday. Actual falls will vary considerably across Melbourne. The Bureau of Meteorology

Weather source: Bureau of Meteorology — Port Melbourne forecast

What does that mean for the garden?

The early-week warmth provides an opportunity to prepare summer beds and establish suitable seedlings.

However, warm air does not necessarily mean warm soil.

Check the soil temperature before sowing beans, cucumbers or zucchini directly into the ground.

And with thunderstorms possible, newly planted seedlings should be protected from strong winds and heavy downpours.

The Moon may favour planting, but the weather has the casting vote.

What to plant now

Late October is an increasingly productive time in Melbourne’s vegetable garden.

Carrots, beetroot and radishes can be sown directly into prepared soil. Avoid heavy applications of fresh manure immediately before sowing carrots, as excessive nitrogen and uneven soil conditions can encourage poor root development.

Lettuce, rocket, silverbeet, spring onions and parsley remain worthwhile additions, particularly in gardens where afternoon shade can protect tender leaves from sudden heat.

Established tomato seedlings can be planted into sunny, sheltered positions where the soil has warmed sufficiently.

Beans, cucumbers, zucchini and sweet corn are also entering their seasonal planting window.

For smaller gardens, dwarf beans and compact zucchini varieties offer useful alternatives to sprawling crops.

The October recommendations from ABC Gardening Australia include basil, beans, carrots and rocket for temperate regions. ABC News

What to hold back

Don’t rush chillies, capsicums and eggplants into exposed garden beds simply because Thursday reaches 28°C.

These crops appreciate consistently warm conditions, particularly overnight.

Healthy seedlings growing under protection can remain there until conditions become more settled.

Likewise, avoid sowing beans or cucumbers into cold, saturated soil. Germination may be poor, and seeds can rot before emerging.

Gardeners with small greenhouses or protected propagation areas can continue raising warm-season seedlings while waiting for suitable outdoor conditions.

The trick is to harden them off gradually rather than transferring them directly from a sheltered environment into a windy Melbourne afternoon.

Companion planting and crop rotation: give the roots a turn

This week’s traditional root days offer an opportunity to consider crop rotation.

Root vegetables can follow leafy crops that have received generous applications of compost or fertiliser.

Carrots and parsnips generally don’t require the high nitrogen levels favoured by many leafy vegetables.

Where a bed previously supported lettuce or silverbeet, remove the exhausted plants, loosen the soil gently and prepare a fine seedbed.

Avoid repeatedly growing crops from the same botanical family in one position.

In small gardens, where elaborate rotation systems are impractical, even changing crop families between seasons can help manage soil health and reduce the accumulation of some pests and diseases.

The important thing is to remember what grew there last.

A notebook is useful.

A gardener’s memory is less reliable, particularly after the second beer.

This week’s practical job: prepare for the change

Secure your summer crop supports before Friday’s weather arrives.

Tomatoes and climbing beans will soon require substantial support, and the forecast northerly winds are a useful reminder that Melbourne spring weather can become unpleasant rather quickly.

Install stakes and trellises before root systems become established.

Check that climbing frames are securely anchored and that tall containers cannot topple.

Inspect drainage around raised beds and pots. Clear blocked outlets and ensure excess water can escape during heavy showers.

Finally, apply a modest layer of organic mulch around established plants, keeping it clear of stems.

Mulching helps moderate soil temperatures and reduce moisture loss during warm weather.

However, avoid burying tiny emerging seedlings or covering soil that remains excessively wet.

For practical spring planting and soil preparation advice, see Gardening Australia’s Spring Has Sprung guide.

A thought from the compost heap

Traditional moon planting has survived for generations because gardeners have found value in organising their work around natural cycles.

Whether lunar timing itself improves plant growth remains scientifically unproven.

That doesn’t make observation worthless.

Quite the opposite.

If we plant carrots on a traditional root day, record the soil temperature, rainfall, sunlight and germination rate, we begin collecting information that can be compared with future plantings.

Perhaps the lunar calendar will prove useful.

Perhaps the weather will explain most of the results.

Perhaps the answer will involve several interacting factors that we haven’t properly understood.

And perhaps the carrots couldn’t give a damn about any of it.

That’s gardening.

A collection of educated guesses conducted in dirt, with the occasional vegetable emerging as evidence.

This week’s recommendation?

Make the most of Monday’s sunshine, watch the thunderstorms, give the summer crops a fighting chance and don’t forget the compost.

The Moon is nearly full.

The garden is waking up.

And Melbourne is preparing to remind us who’s really in charge.

Talking Manure — cultivating curiosity, compost and the occasional contradiction.

Editor’s note: This guide covers Melbourne and southern Victorian growing conditions for 19–25 October 2026. Lunar classifications are traditional gardening practices, not established scientific predictors of plant growth. The weather forecast was checked on Sunday 18 October 2026 and is subject to change. Local soil conditions, sunlight, moisture, temperature and plant health should always take precedence.