Edible produce grow guides
Edible produce guides
Asparagus
How to grow asparagus from seed in Australia: raising seedlings, planting crowns, a bed of its own, when to start picking spears and cutting back the fern.
| Position | Full sun |
|---|---|
| Depth | Seed 1 to 2 cm |
| Spacing | 30 to 40 cm |
| First pick | Third spring from sowing |
Elephant garlic
Also sold as Russian garlic. Plant the large cloves in April or May, keep the bed weeded and watered, and use the finger test to judge when the bulbs are ready.
| Position | Full sun, 6 hours or more |
|---|---|
| Depth | 5 cm of soil over tip |
| Spacing | 20 to 30 cm |
| First pick | 6 to 8 months |
Galangal
Grow Thai red and lesser galangal from rhizomes in Australia: planting months for six zones, pre-sprouting, pots for frosty areas, feeding, pests and harvest.
| Position | Morning sun, afternoon shade |
|---|---|
| Depth | 5 to 7 cm, buds up |
| Spacing | 30 to 45 cm |
| First pick | 17 to 43 weeks |
Garlic
When to plant garlic in each Australian climate zone, how deep and how far apart, feeding through winter, and how to tell when the bulbs are ready to lift and cure.
| Position | Full sun, 6 hours or more |
|---|---|
| Depth | Tip 2 to 5 cm deep |
| Spacing | 10 to 15 cm |
| First pick | 22 to 39 weeks |
Ginger
Grow ginger in Australia from rhizomes: planting months for all six zones, pre-sprouting, pots for cool areas, feeding, soft rot, harvest and replanting.
| Position | Morning sun, afternoon shade |
|---|---|
| Depth | About 5 cm, buds up |
| Spacing | 20 to 30 cm apart |
| First pick | 22 to 43 weeks |
Horseradish
How to grow horseradish in Australia: planting crowns and root cuttings in all six climate zones, keeping it contained, light feeding and winter digging.
| Position | Full sun to light shade |
|---|---|
| Depth | About 3 cm, laid flat |
| Spacing | 30 to 50 cm |
| First pick | 30 weeks; mainly year two |
Rhubarb
Grow rhubarb from seed in Australia: sowing months for all six climate zones, planting and dividing crowns, feeding, pulling stalks and why leaves are toxic.
| Position | Full sun; shade hot afternoons |
|---|---|
| Depth | Seed 10 to 25 mm |
| Spacing | 90 cm to 1 m |
| First pick | Lightly from year two |
Saffron
How to plant saffron corms, when the flowers appear in autumn, how to pick and dry the threads, and how to keep the corms productive year after year.
| Position | Full sun, 6 hours minimum |
|---|---|
| Depth | 10 to 15 cm |
| Spacing | 10 to 15 cm |
| First pick | April to May each autumn |
Shallot
How to grow shallots from bulbs in Australia: planting times for all six climate zones, depth, spacing, feeding, curing, storage, pests and the NSW name mix-up.
| Position | Full sun, 6 hours plus |
|---|---|
| Depth | Tip just showing |
| Spacing | 15 to 20 cm |
| First pick | 14 to 26 weeks |
Strawberry Runners
Plant strawberry runners in Australia: when to plant in six climate zones, crown depth, short-day and day-neutral varieties, feeding, runners and picking.
| Position | Full sun, six hours or more |
|---|---|
| Depth | Crown level with the soil |
| Spacing | 30 cm apart |
| First pick | Usually spring; about 12 weeks after winter planting |
Turmeric
Grow turmeric from rhizomes in Australia: planting months for all six zones, pots for frosty areas, feeding, winter dormancy, pests, harvest and black turmeric.
| Position | Full sun to light shade |
|---|---|
| Depth | 5 to 7 cm |
| Spacing | 15 to 30 cm (black turmeric 30 to 45) |
| First pick | 39 to 43 weeks; sooner in cool zones |
Wasabi
How to grow wasabi in Australia from a rhizome: shade, cool moist soil, pots, planting months for six climate zones, care, pests and lifting the rhizome.
| Position | Bright shade, no direct sun |
|---|---|
| Depth | Crown 1 cm above soil |
| Spacing | 30 cm apart |
| First pick | Rhizome after 18 to 24 months |
Yacon
Grow yacon in Australia: when to plant crowns in all six zones, spacing, feeding, digging after dieback, sweetening the roots and keeping crowns to replant.
| Position | Full sun or light shade |
|---|---|
| Depth | Crowns 3 to 4 cm |
| Spacing | 50 cm to 1 m |
| First pick | 25 to 30 weeks |
Articles and lessons
All edible produce (planting stock)
How to Grow Garlic in Australia
Garlic is one of the most rewarding crops for an Australian backyard, but timing and variety matter. This guide covers which type suits each climate zone,...
How to Grow and Harvest Saffron in Australia
You can grow the world's most expensive spice at home. Here is how to plant, grow, harvest and dry saffron in Australian conditions, and which climates...
Giloy: the stick that looks dead, and the vine it becomes
A Giloy cutting arrives looking like a dead stick. Here is what it becomes, where it will grow in Australia, and the one safety fact worth...
Spring Potato Planting in Australia: Dutch Cream vs Kipfler - Which One's Right for You?
Spring is potato-planting time. How Dutch Cream and Kipfler compare, how to grow and store them safely, and which waxy favourite is right for your kitchen.
Growing Purple Garlic Where Winters Are Mild
If you live in a warm climate with mild winters, you've probably been told you can't grow the spicy purple garlic varieties. We are here to...