Your Spring Gardening Guide

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Now is a great time for Whitsunday gardeners to get busy, with the weather moving towards the warmer, wetter growing season, offering plenty of opportunities to get new crops established.

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For those keen to grow their own vegetables, now is a good time to start planting wet season favourites.  

Tomatoes, cucumber, capsicum, chilli, eggplant, beans, pumpkin, zucchini and sweet corn are all options for tropical gardens as conditions warm up. Radishes and other quick-growing crops can also be added to the patch, giving gardeners something to harvest while longer-growing plants get established.

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Herbs are another easy addition, particularly for gardeners working with smaller spaces. Basil, coriander, chives and parsley can be grown in garden beds or containers, while pots are also handy for tomatoes and chillies.

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If you're looking to add colour, August is also a good time to introduce plants suited to Queensland's warm conditions. Marigolds and nasturtiums can provide colour while also making useful additions to productive gardens.

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Before planting, take a little time to prepare the garden. Remove weeds, refresh tired potting mix and add compost or other organic matter to garden beds. Mulch can also help protect the soil and retain moisture as temperatures begin to climb.

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It is also worth checking irrigation and watering systems before the weather gets hotter. Newly planted crops will need consistent moisture while they establish, particularly as growth begins to accelerate.

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A little preparation now can set the garden up for plenty of fresh produce and colour in the months ahead.

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