October Growers Guide
The October lilies are blooming! The equinox has passed.
It is time to plant out. Get those summer crops in the ground as the soil and weather are warming up.
Flowers (seeds)
Alysum
Aster
Baby's Breath
Bergamot
Billy Buttons
Borage
Calendula
California Poppy
Carnation
Chrysanthemum
Comfrey
Cornflowers
Cosmos
Dahlia
Delphinium
Dianthus
Echinacea
Everlasting Daisy
Feverfew
Forget me not
Gladioli bulbs
German Chamomile
Hyssop
Impatiens
Larkspur
Lavender
Marigolds
Nasturtium
Petunia
Phlox
Pincushion
Poppy
Salvias
Snapdragon
Sunflower
Sweet William
Verbana
Yarrow
Zinnia
Vegetables (seeds)
Adzuki beans
Amaranth
Artichoke
Asparagus crowns
Basil
Beans
Beetroot
Bitter melon
Burdock
Capsicum
Carob
Carrot
Celery
Chervil
Chickory
Chillies
Chives
Chinese broccoli
Corn
Cucumber
Dill
Eggplant
Endive
Fennel
Garlic chives
Gourd
Kale
Leek
Lemon balm
Lettuce
Luffa
Malabar Spinach
Mizuna
Mustards
Okra
Oregano
Parsley
Peppermint
Perilla
Potatoes
Pumpkin
Purslane
Rocket
Rhubarb
Rockmelon
Rosella
Rosemary
Sage
Salsify
Silverbeet
Sorrel
Spearmint
Spinach
Spring Onion
Squash
Sweet potato
Tamarillo
Tarragon
Thyme
Tomato
Tulsi - Holy Basil
Turnip
Watercress
Watermelon
Zucchini
Add some calcium to your soil if you experienced bloom end rot last year
Fruits
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Plant passionfruit
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Plant pawpaw trees
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Plant Cape Gooseberries
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Plant Caper bushes
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Plant banana pups
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Plant guava trees
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Plant macadamia nut trees
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Prune and fertilize natives
Soil, Compost & General
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Time to do lots of weeding, if that is your thing
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Actively check for snails and other pests
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Mulch, mulch, mulch
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Check your worm farms are in becoming active OR
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Sow a green manure crop like clover, pigeon pea, soybean
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Lift tulip and other winter bulbs and store for next year
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Transplant evergreen shrubs
Tools & Equipment
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Organise netting supports
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Put out your fruit fly traps
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Clean and sharpen secateurs and saws for fruit tree pruning
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Ensure your irrigation systems are ready for summer
Aphid spray: 2tsp vegetable oil, 1tsp dishwash liquid, crushed garlic and 1L water - infuse overnight for spraying the next day.
Citrus Gall Wasp: use a peeler to open the gall and expose the wasps inside
Seed Saving & Harvesting
Harvesting
Snow peas, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, coriander, carrot, silverbeet, citrus fruit as it ripens, lettuce, spring onions, rhubarb, mustards, spinach, kale, new potatoes, asparagus
Seed saving
Peas and snow peas, rocket, radishes, broccoli, silverbeet
Seed from apples, pears, quinces (store in damp sand)
