October Gardening: Preparing for a Bountiful Summer

October 03, 2024

G'day Aussie gardeners!

Welcome to the October edition of the Aussie Green Thumb Newsletter!

Whether you're planting summer veggies or nurturing native blooms, we've got the best advice for keeping your garden lush and healthy this month!

Monthly Wrap-Up:

  • Our featured edibles this month are cucumbers

  • Our featured bush tucker plant is lemon myrtle

  • Latest YouTube videos to get you inspired

  • Latest blog posts from our website

  • Our native plant spotlight this month is Grevillea

  • Garden tasks for productive summer prep

  • Our latest garden tool guides 

Let us know what gardening projects you’ll be busy with in October and what you’re going to be planting, we’d love to find out! If you want any information covered by our team, let us know. We love helping and hearing from our AGT community!

How to Grow Cucumbers in Australia

Planting them in October allows them to get a strong start before the full heat of summer hits.

You can’t make a decent salad without the fresh, crisp bite of cucumber. Don’t settle for the overgrown store-bought cucumbers when you can learn how to grow cucumbers at home and harvest fresher, firmer, tastier fruits for a surprisingly long season.

Lemon Myrtle | Australian Growing and Care Guide

Lemon myrtle is a well-known native shrub that offers a wide range of benefits for growers. Not only is lemon myrtle a great choice for landscaping, but its fragrant foliage can be used as aromatic oil or a kitchen ingredient.

It’s an ideal time to plant this aromatic bush in gardens or containers as it loves the sunny weather of October!

This Month on YouTube 📺

Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel

Latest Blog Posts 🌱

Here’s the latest from Aussie Green Thumb this month.

Diamondback Moth - Identification and Control

The diamondback moth can be a real pain in the patch! It is a notorious pest in Australian veggie gardens, especially gardens growing brassicas like cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, kale and more.

Maroon Bush (Scaevola spinescens) Growing Guide

Maroon Bush, or the Prickly Fan Flower, is an entirely edible shrub, used for traditional treatments of stomach upsets and certain types of cancer. While it is not recommended for medical use today, the berries and leaves make a wonderful tea!

Interview with Ashley Baxter, Founder of Monty Compost Co.

In this conversation, I interviewed Ash Baxter, the founder of Monty Compost Co., to discuss the Monty Monitor—a technology designed to enhance composting efficiency. Here’s a summary of our key points.

In October, as we move from spring to summer in Australia, it's an excellent time to plant a variety of vegetables that will thrive as the weather warms up. Here are some popular options:

Zucchini: Zucchini plants love warm weather and are very easy to grow, making October the perfect month to plant them. They grow rapidly and yield prolifically, so they’re an excellent vegetable to add to your spring garden for a bountiful summer harvest. Zucchini also has versatile culinary uses, from grilling to baking.

Beans (Green Beans or Runner Beans): Beans grow quickly in warmer weather, making October a great time to plant them. They’re easy to grow, either in garden beds or pots, and provide a good yield throughout summer. Beans are also nitrogen-fixers, improving soil health for future plantings, making them a beneficial crop for your garden's ecosystem.

Tomatoes: October is the prime time to plant tomatoes in most parts of Australia as the weather warms up. Tomatoes need plenty of sunshine and warmth, making spring the ideal season for them to establish strong roots before the summer heat. They're a favourite for home gardeners because they can be grown in pots or garden beds and produce abundant fruit throughout summer. How to Grow Tomatoes in Australia

In October, as spring comes into full effect across Australia, there are several essential gardening tasks that can help ensure a healthy and vibrant garden for the warmer summer months ahead. Here are some key activities:

  1. Mulching and Watering: With warmer days ahead, apply mulch around your plants to retain moisture. Regular watering is important as temperatures rise, but make sure to water early in the morning to minimise evaporation.

  2. Pest Control: Keep an eye out for pests like aphids, caterpillars, and mites, which thrive in warmer conditions. Companion planting (e.g., planting marigolds) or using organic sprays can help keep these under control.

  3. Deadheading and Pruning: Deadhead spring-flowering plants to encourage continued blooming, and prune any fast-growing shrubs like Grevillea to shape them for summer growth.

  4. Lawn Care: October is a good month to aerate lawns, spread a light fertiliser, and re-sow patchy areas before the summer heat kicks in.

  5. Prepare for Heatwaves: As spring shifts to summer, it’s vital to get gardens heat-ready. Shade cloths or strategically placed umbrellas can protect more delicate plants.

  6. Rainwater Harvesting: October is an ideal time to set up rainwater tanks or make sure existing systems are clean and ready to use. Capturing rainfall now will be helpful for the drier months ahead.

Best Zero Turn Mowers for 2024 | Australian Buying Guide

Zero Turn Mowers are the best type of ride-on mower by a long, long, way. Their name comes from their ability to achieve an almost zero turning radius, meaning no missed corners.

They work with a two-level steering system, giving drivers the ultimate control over their vehicles, and cut in front of the driver rather than beneath the seat.

7 Best Pressure Washers for 2024 | Australian Buying Guide

A pressure washer is a water pump that connects to your hosepipe, allowing you to shoot water out of the wand at very high pressure, using about 5 litres of water per minute.

The best models have a pressure gauge so that you can adjust the output to make it more gentle or more powerful, allowing you to clean away different types of stains and dirt without damaging the surface you’re cleaning.

Grevilleas are incredibly popular because they flower prolifically during spring and continue into summer. They come in a wide variety of colours, from reds and pinks to yellows, and are known for attracting birds with their nectar-rich blooms. Grevilleas are also hardy and suited to Australian conditions, making them a garden staple!

There you have it, Green Thumbs! Your October Gardening Update!

Don't forget to check out our detailed guides and tutorials on our website for more in-depth information. If you haven't already, be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel for the latest gardening videos, tips, and DIY projects.

Again, be sure to let us know what gardening projects you’ll be busy with in October and what you’re going to be planting, we’d love to find out! If you want any information covered by our team, let us know. We love helping and hearing from our AGT community!

Happy gardening, we wish you a productive and enjoyable month outdoors! We’ll see you next month with more gardening goodness!

Cheers,

Nathan Schwartz 

If you have any questions, feel free to contact our friendly team today!

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