When to plant Coriander in Temperate Australia

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

Temperate Australian gardeners can sow coriander direct in two windows: March to April in autumn, and August to November in spring. Seed goes in 6 mm deep, spaced 20 cm apart, and takes a leisurely 14–21 days to germinate, with leaves ready to cut 45–70 days from sowing. Coriander is fully hardy, shrugging off frost, but it despises heat — which makes the autumn sowing the secret to long, leafy harvests, while spring sowings race towards seed as the weather warms. Sow direct where it is to grow; transplanting is one of the fastest ways to make it bolt.

Sowing calendar — temperate zone

Green months are your sowing window: March to April and August to November.

Growing notes

Coriander turns the usual temperate calendar on its head. Because it is hardy, frost is no threat — plants sown in March and April sail through winter frosts from May onwards, producing leaves for months in the cool weather they love. Spring sowings behave differently: August and September starts give a decent run of leaf, but October and November sowings hit warming weather quickly and can bolt to seed within weeks. If leaf is what you want, favour autumn; if you are happy to harvest coriander seed, a late spring sowing does that job admirably.

Sow 6 mm deep, direct into the garden, in soil that drains well and holds some moisture. A position with morning sun and light afternoon shade extends the leaf harvest in the warmer months. Keep the bed evenly moist — germination is slow at 14–21 days, and a dried-out seedbed during that stretch is the most common reason seed "fails".

The defining failure mode is bolting. Heat, root disturbance and water stress all trigger it, and no amount of care reverses it. Sow direct rather than transplanting, water consistently, sow small amounts every few weeks, and accept that a summer coriander patch in temperate Australia is a short-lived thing.

Coriander at a glance

Common questions

When is the best time to plant coriander in Australia?

In temperate zones, sow direct in March–April or August–November. Autumn sowings give the longest leaf harvest because coriander is frost hardy but bolts quickly in heat.

Why does my coriander keep bolting to seed?

Heat, transplanting and dry soil all trigger bolting. Sow seed direct where it will grow, keep water consistent, and favour autumn sowings over late spring ones.

How long does coriander take to grow?

Germination is slow at 14–21 days, then leaves are ready to harvest 45–70 days from sowing. Keep the seedbed moist for the whole germination period.

Can I grow coriander through winter in temperate Australia?

Yes. Coriander is hardy and handles frost well, so autumn-sown plants produce leaves right through a temperate winter — it is summer heat, not cold, that ends the harvest.

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