Plant library
Growing guides checked by local gardeners, with planting times worked out from 30 years of climate data.
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Basil
HerbA fragrant summer herb that loves Adelaide's heat and pairs with tomatoes in the garden and the kitchen. Sow or plant once nights stay warm, as cold snaps blacken it. Pinch out the flower spikes and tips often to keep plants bushy and leafy.Bok choy
VegetableA fast Asian green that's ready in 6 to 8 weeks, ideal for autumn and early spring in Adelaide. It bolts to seed quickly in heat and lengthening days, so sow in cooler months and pick young. Keep it well watered for tender, juicy stems.Calendula
Companion flowerA tough, sunny cool-season flower with edible petals. It attracts hoverflies and ladybirds that eat aphids, and keeps flowering through autumn, winter and spring when little else does. A great partner for brassicas and salad greens.Capsicum
VegetableA warm-season crop that thrives in Adelaide summers, giving sweet peppers from midsummer into autumn. Plant only once soil and nights are warm, as cold checks growth for weeks. Water deeply and regularly; dry spells cause flower drop and blossom end rot.Chilli
VegetableA warm-season crop that loves Adelaide's hot summers and keeps fruiting into autumn. Many types grow happily in pots and can be kept for two or three years in a sheltered spot. Raise or buy seedlings and plant once nights are warm; chillies sulk in cold soil.Coriander
HerbA fast herb grown for leaves, seeds and roots. In Adelaide it bolts to seed in a few weeks of warm weather, so it does best sown in autumn and late winter. Sow directly where it's to grow and keep sowing small batches every few weeks.Eggplant
VegetableA heat-loving summer crop that does very well in Adelaide once it gets going. Plant seedlings only when nights are reliably warm and keep them sheltered from cold winds. Water deeply and feed regularly; well-fed plants crop from midsummer to autumn.French marigold
Companion flowerThe classic companion flower for the veggie patch. Bright, compact and easy, it flowers all summer and draws in hoverflies, whose larvae eat aphids. Tuck it beside tomatoes, capsicum and zucchini, and along bed edges.Kohlrabi
VegetableA crisp, mild cabbage relative grown for its swollen stem, ready in about 8 to 10 weeks. In Adelaide, sow from late summer to autumn and again in early spring. Pick when tennis-ball size or smaller for the sweetest flavour.Lettuce
VegetableA quick salad crop for most of the year in Adelaide, with leafy types ready in 6 to 8 weeks. It prefers cooler months; in summer give afternoon shade and plenty of water, or it bolts and turns bitter. Sow small amounts often for a steady supply.Mizuna
VegetableA fast, frilly Asian green with a mild mustard flavour, great in salads. In Adelaide it grows best from autumn to early spring and runs to seed as the weather warms. Pick leaves as you need them and it keeps cropping for weeks.Nasturtium
Companion flowerA cheerful, edible trailing flower that works as a trap crop: aphids and cabbage white caterpillars often go for it first, sparing your veggies. Peppery leaves and flowers are lovely in salads. Easy from seed, even in poor soil.Parsley
HerbA biennial herb that gives leaves for months, sown or planted in autumn or spring in Adelaide. Seed is slow to germinate (up to 3 weeks), so many gardeners buy seedlings. Pick outer stems regularly and keep the plant watered to delay flowering.Radish
VegetableThe fastest crop in the garden, with round radishes ready in about 4 weeks. Sow seed directly almost all year in Adelaide, avoiding the hottest weeks when they get hot and pithy. Keep moist and pick on time; left too long they turn woody and split.Rocket
VegetableA fast, peppery salad green that's ready in about 4 weeks and does best in Adelaide's cooler months. In warm weather it bolts and gets very hot, so give summer sowings shade. Pick leaves young and often.Sweet alyssum
Companion flowerA low carpet of tiny honey-scented flowers that feeds hoverflies and tiny parasitic wasps, two of the best aphid and caterpillar hunters. Edge your beds with it, or tuck it between lettuces and brassicas. Flowers most of the year in Adelaide.Tatsoi
VegetableA low rosette of dark, spoon-shaped leaves with a mild flavour, used like baby spinach. In Adelaide, sow from late summer to autumn and again in late winter; it bolts quickly in hot weather. It is quick, cold hardy and suits pots.Thai basil
HerbA basil with purple stems and an aniseed flavour for Thai and Vietnamese cooking. It handles heat and humidity better than sweet basil and is slower to bolt. Grow it year round in the tropics and through the warm months in the subtropics and the south. Frost kills it.Tomato
VegetableThe most popular summer crop in Adelaide, planted once soil and nights are warm and picked from midsummer to autumn. Stake or cage plants and mulch well. Deep, regular watering is the key; dry-wet cycles cause blossom end rot and split fruit.