When to plant Capsicum in Temperate Australia

Temperate zone — applies to Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Newcastle and similar areas. Growing elsewhere? Cool · Subtropical · Tropical · Arid.

Sow capsicum direct in temperate Australia from August to December, planting seed just 4 mm deep into warming soil. Being frost tender, early sowings need protection until the last frosts pass in mid-October, so many temperate gardeners hold off until September or October before committing seed to open ground. Expect germination in 10–20 days — capsicum is slow and sulky in cold soil — and fruit ready to pick 70–110 days after sowing. Give plants full sun, shelter from wind and 40–60 cm between them; a long, warm autumn rewards patient growers with fruit ripening from green through to red and yellow.

Sowing calendar — temperate zone

Green months are your sowing window: August to December.

Growing notes

Capsicum is genuinely frost tender — one late cold snap will kill young plants outright, and in temperate Australia the last frost typically arrives around mid-October. August and September sowings therefore belong somewhere warm and protected; if you are sowing straight into the open garden, October and November are the safer months. December sowings still work, but with 70–110 days to maturity the fruit will be ripening deep into autumn, so choose a faster variety if you start late.

Position matters more than almost anything else. Pick the sunniest, most sheltered bed you have, enriched with compost a few weeks before sowing. Sow 4 mm deep and keep the surface consistently moist through the long 10–20 day germination, then shift to deep, less frequent watering. Space plants 40–60 cm apart with 80–100 cm between rows so air can circulate.

The most common failure in temperate gardens is erratic watering, which shows up as blossom-end rot — dark, sunken patches on the base of the fruit. Mulch well and keep soil moisture even rather than swinging between drought and drench. Cool nights below about 12°C can also make flowers drop; hold your nerve, because fruit set resumes once the weather steadies.

Capsicum at a glance

Companion planting

Grows well with

Basil: Deters aphids; may improve flavour

Marigold: Deters nematodes and aphids

Common questions

When should I plant capsicum in temperate Australia?

Sow direct from August to December, 4 mm deep. Because capsicum is frost tender and temperate areas can get frosts until mid-October, September to November sowings are the most reliable in open ground.

How long do capsicums take to grow?

Seed germinates in 10–20 days and plants take 70–110 days from sowing to their first pickable fruit. Leaving fruit longer lets it colour up from green to red or yellow.

Why are my capsicum flowers dropping off?

Flower drop is usually caused by temperature stress — cold nights early in the season or heatwaves in midsummer. Keep watering even, mulch the bed, and fruit set generally recovers when conditions settle.

Why do my capsicums have dark sunken patches on the bottom?

That is blossom-end rot, caused by uneven watering interfering with calcium uptake. Water deeply and regularly rather than in fits and starts, and mulch to keep soil moisture stable.

Keep exploring