Learning Hub
Grow guides, short lessons and honest answers for Australian gardens, from the people who grow and pack the seed.
September in the Temperate zone
Vegetables
Herbs
Flowers
Grow guides
All guides A to Z
Aubretia
Growing aubretia as a hardy groundcover in Australian gardens: sowing, position, trimming after flowering, companion plants and common pests.
| Position | Full sun |
|---|---|
| Depth | Surface sow |
| Spacing | 25 to 30 cm |
| First pick | Flowers in year two |
Basil
Sowing basil once the nights are mild, spacing and watering, pinching for bushy plants, and picking so the crop keeps coming until the first cold snap.
| Position | Full sun |
|---|---|
| Depth | 6 mm |
| Spacing | 25 cm |
| First pick | 60 to 70 days |
Coriander
Why coriander runs to seed, when to sow it in your climate, and how to harvest the leaves, roots and seed so one packet gives three crops.
| Position | Morning sun, shade in heat |
|---|---|
| Depth | 5 to 10 mm |
| Spacing | 15 cm |
| First pick | 45 to 60 days |
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 |
|---|---|
| Depth | 50 mm |
| Spacing | 15 cm |
| First pick | About 8 months |
Fix a problem
All symptomsChoose what you can see. Each symptom leads to its likely causes and the lesson or guide that deals with it.
Lessons
All ten lessons
Stop burying your seeds.
Most seeds that never come up were sown too deep. The twice-the-width rule, and which seeds want light.
Stop blaming yourself for bolting coriander.
Warmth, long days and dry soil send coriander and lettuce to flower. How to keep picking for weeks.
Your zucchini is not broken.
Its first flowers are male and fall without fruit. Tell the two apart, and hand pollinate in one sunny morning.
Stop planting by the calendar. Start planting by the soil.
Tomatoes go out when the soil holds about 16°C, whatever the date says. The kitchen thermometer test.
Grow what the supermarket does not sell.
A watermelon the size of a grape, purple carrots, a currant tomato and purple basil. All from a packet.
Latest articles
All articles
Soil pH explained: why it matters and how to nudge it
Soil pH quietly shapes how well your vegetables grow. Here is what the scale means, why it matters, and how to nudge your soil into the right band.
Growing a bush food garden in Australia: native edibles for home
Native edibles like warrigal greens, finger lime and lemon myrtle suit Australian gardens. Here is how to grow them well, and safely, at home.
Keeping possums, birds and pests out of the veggie patch, humanely
Possums and birds raiding your veggies? Here is how to keep them out humanely and lawfully, with wildlife-safe netting and simple exclusion.
San Marzano vs Beefsteak vs Heirloom Mix: Choosing the Right Tomato for You
Paste, beefsteak or heirloom? The right tomato depends on the meal you are dreaming of. Here is how to choose, and why most gardens want a little of...
Determinate vs Indeterminate Tomatoes: Which Should You Actually Grow?
Determinate or indeterminate? One gives a burst for the sauce pot, the other a long season of fresh tomatoes. Here is how to choose, and why most gardens...
Water-wise gardening: getting more from every drop in a dry climate
Australia is the driest inhabited continent, so a garden that sips rather than gulps is just good sense. Here is how to get more from every drop.
The people who pack the seed answer questions on weekdays, 9am to 5pm AEST, at support@happyvalleyseeds.com.au.