Garden Update: Spring Planting Season

Right now, the focus is on soil prep for the new growing season. It’s time to start planting — frost-tolerant varieties go straight in the ground, while sensitive varieties are started inside or in the greenhouse.

With the impending “Super El Niño” bringing a drier summer, we’re getting ahead of it by improving water retention across the garden beds. On sloped beds, we’re digging basins and channels to slow and capture runoff. We’re also building soil structure with our own onsite compost and woody material repurposed from winter fruit-tree prunings, then locking in moisture with a heavy layer of pea-straw mulch.

Early–mid spring plantings (frost-tolerant)

• Legumes: snow peas, broad beans, garden peas, flowering peas
• Leafy greens: silverbeet, cabbage, lettuce, spinach
• Alliums: onions, leeks, spring onions, chives
• Root vegetables: radish, turnips, beetroot, potatoes, parsnip, carrots
• Herbs: parsley, coriander, dill, mint
• Asparagus
• Rhubarb
• Edible flowers: marigold, pansy, dianthus, calendula

Late October–November plantings (frost-sensitive)

• Cucurbits: cucumbers, pumpkins, squash/zucchini, melons
• Solanums: tomatoes, eggplant, capsicum, chilli
• Late-season leafies: celery, lettuce, endive, cabbage, brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower
• Corn
• Herbs: basil, chervil

– Aranda Exec Chef Jack Constable