So the guide can be printed out it has been split into two sections (A to J and K to Z).  Simply click the links to the left to view each section.

As the guide is in PDF format you will need the Adobe  PDF reader program to read and print it.  If you do not  have a PDF reader installed on your computer it can be downloaded from Adobe for free.  Click Here to go to the page on the Adobe site where you can download it.

This guide is updated as more planting information comes to light.  It was last updated on  March 1st 2011 .  If you print this seed planting guide I suggest you check here occasionally to see if a more up to date version is available.

Ballarat's climate is cooler than most parts of Southern mainland Australia. However planting instructions on the back of seed packets and in vegetable gardening books show no difference between Ballarat and much warmer places such as Melbourne.  But Ballarat is in fact about six weeks behind Melbourne in Spring plantings. For example tomato seedlings can be planted out without frost protection in mid September in Melbourne, however in Ballarat it is not safe to do so until early November (traditionally Melbourne Cup day). Novice Ballarat gardeners will get a rude shock if they rely on seed packet planting guides.

Even within a regional area there are always variations. The bulk of this guide was drawn from observations of gardens within the city of Ballarat. If you are on land out of town it would be wise to treat this guide cautiously as your frost patterns may be more severe. See Regional Climate Variations for things to look for that might effect when you plant in your area.  For more information about Ballarat's climate see Ballarat's Climate webpage.

This seed guide was compiled by myself (John Ditchburn) from gardening observations made over many years of growing vegetables in the Ballarat area. A number of gardeners were also consulted on compiling the guide, with special thanks to Marianne Gingell, Noel Burnside and Liz Suiter for their contributions.

This seed guide is by no means complete and must be seen as only a rough draft for a number years to come. If you are a Ballarat and District vegetable gardener and would like to comment on, or contribute to this seed guide then please feel free to contact me. Your input will always be considered when making future updates.