Plant library
Growing guides checked by local gardeners, with planting times worked out from 30 years of climate data.
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Cape gooseberry
FruitA fast, sprawling shrub from South America with sweet-tart golden berries inside papery husks. In Adelaide it fruits from summer into autumn, about five to six months after planting, and lasts two or three years in frost-free spots. Frost kills it, so plant out after the last frost or grow in a pot.Garlic chives
HerbA tough perennial with flat, garlic-flavoured leaves and white starry flowers in late summer. It handles Adelaide's heat better than common chives and dies back a little in winter. Toxic to dogs and cats, so keep pets away from it.Lemon balm
HerbA hardy, lemon-scented herb in the mint family, used fresh or dried for tea. In Adelaide it grows best with afternoon shade and regular water, and can scorch in full summer sun. It self-seeds and spreads, so a pot keeps it tidy.Pineapple
FruitA spiky bromeliad that fruits outdoors in the tropics and subtropics and in warm, frost-free temperate gardens. Plant a store-bought top or a sucker in spring in free-draining soil. It takes about two years to fruit. In cool climates grow it in a pot and bring it in for winter.Spring onion
VegetableA quick, easy onion grown for green stems rather than bulbs, ready in 8 to 10 weeks. Sow little and often almost all year in Adelaide. Bunching (Welsh) types can be cut again and again or left to form clumps.Strawberry
FruitA favourite for gardens and pots that fruits from spring into summer. Plant runners in autumn or winter into rich, slightly acidic, well-drained soil, keeping the crown at soil level. Mulch with straw to keep fruit clean, and net against birds.