Autumn 2026 Wrap-Up — How Victorian Vegetable Growers Are Tracking Into Winter

By Yield Australia Agronomy Team ·

As we move out of autumn 2026 and into the first cold snaps of winter, it's a good moment to take stock of the season just gone — and what Yield Australia's order book is telling us about the months ahead.

A Cooler, Wetter Autumn Than Last Year

March and April delivered 14% above the 1990-2020 mean rainfall across the Werribee catchment, with Bureau of Meteorology data confirming consistent rain events through the planting window. Soil temperatures at 50 mm depth stayed 1.5-2°C below the long-term average through mid-April, which pushed back transplant dates for many brassica programs by 7-10 days.

For Yield Australia, that meant a flatter-than-usual peak in the broccoli and cauliflower trays through April, then a sharp catch-up in the first two weeks of May as growers consolidated plantings to hit the July-August market window.

What We're Seeing in Tray Orders

  • Winter brassica volumes are strong — Broccoli, cauliflower, kale, and savoy cabbage trays are tracking ~8% ahead of last year, particularly for the Werribee South and Lindenow districts
  • Specialty Asian greens accelerating — Pak choy, choy sum, and gai lan orders are up sharply as Melbourne wholesale buyers chase consistent winter supply
  • Lettuce slowing into deep winter — Cos and iceberg orders are tapering as growers shift to protected-cropping varieties through June and July
  • Onions and leeks holding — Steady ongoing demand from the Mallee and Northern Victorian growers for autumn onion transplants

Winter Outlook from the Agronomy Bench

BOM's June-August outlook is leaning cooler and wetter than median for southern Victoria, which has direct implications for planning:

  • Expect longer time-to-harvest on brassicas — budget an extra 10-14 days versus a "normal" winter
  • Drainage and soil workability will be the limiting factor on many transplant windows. Use our Soil Workability Forecast tool on the Weather Dashboard to plan around wet days
  • Frost risk is elevated through July across the Northern Plains. Cold-tolerant varieties and protected propagation will be at a premium

What to Lock In Now

If you're planting from July onwards, get your tray order in by mid-June at the latest. Cold-weather propagation runs 4-6 weeks in our greenhouses (versus 3-4 in spring), so the lead time matters. Talk to our team about variety options if you're considering trialling something new — our Trials Portal can accommodate small-scale screening runs alongside your main planting program.

Call 1300 094 353 or jump on the website to lock in your winter and early-spring program.

All blog articles