A new beginning

The arrival of autumn brings new opportunities to grow your own fresh vegies and herbs.

There’s nothing like picking a bunch of fragrant herbs or adding your own vegies to meals. Whether you have a patch or a pot, home-grown is only steps away and autumn is the perfect time to start sowing and growing cool-season produce.

Autumn is the beginning of the growing season for a delicious range of cool-weather vegies, including brassicas like broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, kale and cauliflower, as well as spinach, shelling and snow peas, Asian greens such as wombok and bok choy. Additionally, leeks, garlic and onions thrive during this season. Many herbs, like parsley and coriander, also enjoy autumn’s mild conditions. Even in just a few square metres or a collection of pots you can grow lots of vegies and herbs.

Most vegies and herbs grow best in a sunny position that receives at least six hours of direct sunshine a day. Some leafy vegies and herbs, like baby leaf spinach, silverbeet and parsley, can be grown in part shade. If your sunshine is limited, grow sun-loving edibles in pots that you can position in your brightest areas.







Well-drained soil is a must. If drainage is poor, a raised garden bed is an ideal way to create a growing space for vegies and herbs. Before sowing or planting, enrich the soil with handfuls of blood and bone or pelletised chicken manure.



You can start growing with seedlings from your local garden centre or by sowing seeds. Plants with large seeds, like peas, can be conveniently sown direct where they are to grow. Smaller seeds, like broccoli, are usually best sown into punnets and the seedlings later transplanted into the vegie patch. Seed packs provide helpful information on the best sowing method. Don’t forget to protect your precious seedlings with a light sprinkling of organic snail and slug bait!







Help keep the soil or potting mix moist by applying a layer of mulch, like sugar cane or pea straw, around the plants. Regular feeding will help promote healthy plants and a great harvest, so make fertilising a part of your vegie patch routine. Check your plants every few days for signs of common pests like caterpillars and aphids. Andfor plants like peas, spinach and parsley, lots of picking will encourage new leaves and pods to develop and give you a longer season, so fill your harvest basket!

Top 7 vegies & herbs to grow now:

Cauliflower – creamy white cauliflower can be enjoyed in so many ways.

Spinach – a nutrient powerhouse and you can pick individual leaves as you need them over many weeks.

Snow peas – a productive climber that takes up minimal space and provides an abundance of crisp and crunchy pods.

Bok choy – this quick-growing Chinese cabbage is the perfect addition to stir fries.

Leek – a hardy and versatile favourite that can be picked when young and slender or left to mature into thick and tasty stems

Italian parsley – a lush green flavoursome herb that looks fabulous in a patch or pot.

Chives - this hardy herb has an aromatic onion flavour with the bonus of pretty purple flowers.