There is so much you can plant in your Australian vegetable garden this Autumn. While the onset of the cooler seasons sees many of us retreat indoors, there’s a lot to gain by spending a few days in the garden before you hibernate. Here’s a guide to what vegies to plant in your garden, according to where you live in Australia.
- Warm temperate zone. Melbourne, Sydney, Canberra, Adelaide and Hobart are all in this zone so they have reliable rainfall all year round, minimal frost and warm summers. In coastal locations which benefit from moderated temperatures, it’s also possible to grow plants from the subtropical zone. Because this zone also has a clearly defined winter, you can even grow vegetables that don’t mind when it’s cool. In autumn, you can plant spinach, green beans and peas as they’ll thrive at this time of year. In your herb garden, coriander, garlic, thyme and parsley will do well during this season.
- Cool temperate zone. This area includes much of Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory. Not surprisingly, the mountains and tablelands of Victoria, New South Wales, and Queensland are also part of this zone. Pests are too much of a problem in these zones – too cold for them! There’s a wonderful array of vegetables for autumn planting should include cabbage, carrot, broccoli, cauliflower spinach, lettuce, onion, potatoes, parsnips and turnip. What a feast! Herbs like chives, coriander, mint, oregano, parsley, rosemary, garlic and tarragon will also do well.
- Subtropical zone. The majority of this zone is centred on South East Queensland and Northern New South Wales, where there are mild temperatures all year, high humidity levels and a significant summer rainfall season. You’re able to grow all the species that typically thrive in these conditions, but you can also plant several temperate species over winter. For your autumn garden, look at lettuce, broccoli, peas, onion, spring onion, spinach, and turnip. Herbs that do well at this time of year are garlic, coriander, fennel, parsley, lavender, rocket, sage, rosemary and thyme.
- Tropical zone. Top end regions like north Queensland and northern Western Australia experience monsoon-driven wet and high humidity all year round. Pests can be a bit of a problem in these hot and muggy conditions, so you’ll need to do some extra work to keep them under control. In autumn, sow beans, carrot, capsicum cucumber, eggplant, lettuce, melons, okra, potato, pumpkin, radish, squash, sweet corn, sweet potato and zucchini. As far as herbs go, basil, coriander and parsley will do well.
Imagine opening your outdoor blinds in Australia, sitting in your special outdoor space, and looking out over an abundant and thriving vegetable garden. It’s one of life’s great pleasures so a few days of gardening before you hibernate will be well worth it.
