Winter Planting Calendar

The following guide will help you identify what to plant and when to plant it.

To ensure a continuous supply of fresh vegetables, make sure you stagger the planting to extent the harvest.

Spring Planting Calendar | Summer Planting Calendar | Autumn Planting Calendar | Winter Planting Calendar

Plant Description June July August
Amaranth Sow seeds directly into rows, amaranth is a vigouros grower, plant when danger of frosts are over. Pick before seed heads mature to avoid self seeding. A soil rich in humus, well drained and a sunny position is best . . tick
Artichoke Plant in beds 1mtr apart and rows 1mtr apart. Prefers full sunlight in rish well-drained soils. Takes 2-3 months to reach maturity . . tick
Asparagus Prepare permanent beds to a depth of 35cm with plenty of organic matter. Dig trench 25cm deep, set crowns 40cm apart and cover with 5cm soil. As fern grows, cover with soil until trench is filled, leaving new shoots uncovered. Harvest 3 year old plant in late winter or early spring. . . tick
Broad beans Sow seeds directly 5cm apart in rows 1 mtr apart. Water once after planting seeds and don’t water until the shoots have appeared. Likes full sunlight in beds of alkaline soil. Can be harvested as young beans or wait until the beans have matured for longer keeping. tick . .
Bush and climbing beans Sow seeds directly into soil after last frost. Ensure soil is prepared with a sprinkling of lime one month before sowing. Plant successive seeds to ensure a continuous supply. Harvesting starts in about 10 – 12 weeks of planting. . . tick
Beetroot Sow all year round for continuous supply. Soak seeds for an hour before planting to assist germination, and give the your beets plenty of water to encourage larger, tenter roots. Leaves make a nutricious addition to salads and bulb can be eaten raw or cooked. tick tick tick
Brussels Sprouts Germinate in seed boxes and plant out seedlings when 10cm tall. Ensure that the soil is free draining as they will not grow in waterlogged soil. tick . .
Cabbage Grown all year round but the head will split in extreme heat. Germinate in seed boxes then transplant when seedlings are 5-6 weeks old. Varieties take around 14-16 weeks to mature. tick tick tick
Capsicum Germinate seeds in seed box before planting out into well fertilised soil about 50cm apart. Fruit fly prone so preventative measures will be necessary during fruit fly season . . tick
Carrot Sow seeds 6mm deep in furrows 25cm apart. When seedlings are 5cm high, thin out to 2cm apart. When remaining seedlings are 15cm high, thin out to 5cm apart. These discarded seedlings can be eaten as baby carrots. tick tick tick
Celery Plant seeds directly in trenches 10cm deep with 25cm between plants. Seed germination is poor so plant extra seeds and thin as required. Celery requires plenty of water from seedling to maturity or it will becomre stunted, stringy and tasteless. Harvest in 4-5 months tick tick tick
Chilli Germinate seeds in seed box before planting out into well fertilised soil about 50cm apart. Fruit fly prone so preventative measures will be necessary during fruit fly season . . tick
Cucumber Can be grown in soil or containers. Sow seeds directly into bed to a depth of 1.5cm, 50cm apart. Plant needs plenty or water so water regularly during the growing cycle. Provide a trellis for the plant to grow on and harvest each fruit as it ripens. . . tick
Eggplant The seeds need warm soil and warm temperatures to germinate. Sow seeds directly or germinate in a pot if you want to get a head start in Winter/Spring. Pick the fruit at full colour after about 3-4 months. . . tick
Endive Salad vegetable similar to lettuce. Plant seeds 5mm deep in rows 50cm apart. After germination, thin plants to 30cm apart. Before harvesting, cover plants with a layer of straw for several weeks to reduce bitterness tick . .
Kale Raise seedlings in a seed tray before transplanting into the garden. Sow Kale can be either direct seeded into the garden or transplanted as seedlings. For direct seeding, sow about 1 cm deep and about 30-45 cm apart. Three or four seeds can be planted together and thinned out at the two-leaf stage. Plants should be ready for harvest in around 2 months, depending on weather conditions and variety. Young leaves can be used fresh in salads or mature leaves can be used as a cooked green. tick . .
Kohl Rabi Plant seeds directly into well fertilised beds. This seeds to 10cm apart when 5cm high. The leaves are edible but the plant is primarily grown for the root. Harvest around 8 – 10 weeks after planting when the root is approx 5-7cm in diameter tick tick tick
Lettuce For best results, plant the seeds or seedlings into beds prepared with lots of nitrogen to encourage fast growth. Distance between plants is dependent on which variety is planted. For longer gropping, plant the loose-leaf varieties so you can pick the leaves you need when you need them. tick tick tick
Marrow A type of bush pumpkin, marrow seeds can be raised as seedlings or seeds sown directly into a shallow saucer-shaped depression. Fruit will take 2-3 months to mature and hand-polinating might be necessary if there are not enough bees around. . . tick
Okra Sow seeds directly into soil that has not been over-fertilised as Okra prefers moderate levels of fertiliser. Plant seeds 2cm deep and spaced 45 cm apart. Imature posd are harvested when 5-8cms long after 3-4 months. Pick daily to lengthen the cropping period. . . tick
Onion Sow seeds directly into soil that has not been over-fertilised as Okra prefers moderate levels of fertiliser. Plant seeds 2cm deep and spaced 45 cm apart. Imature posd are harvested when 5-8cms long after 3-4 months. Pick daily to lengthen the cropping period. tick tick .
Parsnip Ensure you prepare the garden bed with a deep digging to allow for the long tap root. Plant seeds approx 1cm deep in rows 40cm apart. Takes approx 4-5 months to reach full maturity. tick tick tick
Pea Peas are an attractive addition to any vege garden. Sow seeds directly into alkaline soil 3cm deep 5cm apart. Succession planting every 2-3 weeks will extend cropping times. Ensure the plant has a trellis or frame to climb on, Harvest with pods are full, firm, shining, bright green and 5-8cm in length. Harvest Snow Peas while still young. tick tick .
Pumpkin Can be raised as seedlings or seeds sown directly into a shallow saucer-shaped depression. Fruit will take 14-16 weeks to mature and hand-polinating might be necessary if there are not enough bees around. Keep water up to the vine but avoid watering on the plant itself as this may encourage powdery mildew. . . tick
Radish Very easy plant to grow, simply sow the seeds 6mm deep, 5cm apart in rows 15cm apart. Pull the whole plant from the ground at 4-5 weeks. Plants grow hot if left in the ground for too long tick tick tick
Rhubarb Rhubarb is usually propagated by planting pieces or divisions of ‘crowns’ formed during the previous season. The stems are used for sauces and pies and the leaves can be used for making an organic aphid spray. The leaves have Oxalic acid in them so should not be eaten. . . tick
Rockmelon Sow seeds direct or transplant seedlings after final frost. Requires good drainage for good results. Space about 50cm between plants. Harvesting begins in about 90 to 120 days. . . tick
Silverbeet Either sow seeds direct or plant seedlings. A hardy plant that can be eaten and cooked like spinach. Prepare the bed with ample composted manure before planting. Harvest the mature outsilde leaves as the need arises. This will ensure a long cropping period. tick tick tick
Squash, Button Squash can be raised as seedlings or seeds sown directly into a shallow saucer-shaped depression. Fruit will take 12-14 weeks to mature and hand-polinating might be necessary if there are not enough bees around. Harvest early before the skin hardens extends the cropping while giving you fresh vegetable that doesn’t need to be peeled. . . tick
Sweet Corn Sow seeds directly into rows 50-60cm apart with plants spaced about 25cm apart. Polination occurres through wind action so it is important to grow in a group or clump. Harvest when the kernels are plump and full of milk (milk oozes out when the cob is cut). If the fluid is clear then cob is not ready yet. . . tick
Tomato Prepare the garden beds with plenty of composted animal manure as Tomatos are heavy feeders. Plant each plant next to a 2mtr stake as the plant will need support as it grows. Fruit fly prone so appropriate action will be required during fruit fly season . . tick
Turnip Sow seeds directly into the ground no more than 1cm deep in rows 25cm apart. Thin to 10cm after seedlings appear. Plant is ready for harvesting in about 2-3 months. . . tick
Watermelon Germinate seeds in a seed tray before transplanting. Keep the water up to the plant but avoid watering the leaves to help reduce powdery mildew. Harvest the fruit when it sounds dull or hollow when you knock on it. . . tick
Zucchini A member of the marrow family, zucchini can be sown directly or as seedlings. Harvest the fruit when 10-15cm long and skin is soft. Constant picking will prolong flowering. tick tick tick

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