Gardeners around the country dread summertime, but fear not! We’re here to help you find out what to plant in summer so you can make the most of this difficult period. In this blog, we’ll be covering what to plant in December, January, and February to make sure your garden’s fully prepared for the months ahead.We’ll also provide expert garden advice that covers your favourite fruits, vegetables, herbs, and flowers.
What to Plant in December
The first month of summer is the perfect time to harvest your summer vegetables and the fruits of your strawberry seeds. By harvesting regularly, you’ll end up stimulating ongoing crops throughout the summer season. To ensure healthy crop development, make sure you keep your vegetables well hydrated and fed. For example, leaf crops such as lettuce require extra attention, as they can develop a bitter taste if allowed to stress and dry out.
What Flowers to Plant for Summer: December
If you're looking to inject splashes of colour during summer, then sowing classic cottage flower seeds is the way to go. These varieties include asters, cosmos seeds, foxglove, Californian poppies, and zinnias. If you sow these favourites in the early new year, you’ll be sure to see them bloom in the late summer to early autumn period.
What Vegetables to Plant in Summer: December
For summer vegetables, stick to sweetcorn seeds, tomato seeds, bean seeds, and squash seeds. All these cope well with heat as long as they are watered regularly and planted in well-prepared soil with thick mulch. Mulching will also keep the plant’s root system cool while adding nutrients and organic matter to the soil as it rots.
What Fruit to Plant in Summer: December
Generally, summer is not the ideal time to sow fruit seeds as the particularly hot weather makes their germination less likely to be successful. However, it is possible to sow and plant fruit in early and late summer as the seasons begin to transition. In particular, rockmelon and watermelon can be sown in temperate to tropical climates at this time.
What to Plant in January
January can be very hot and humid in many parts of Australia, so be clever about what you do and when you do it. Garden in the morning when it’s a bit cooler, and water your plants in preparation for the day’s heat. Watering in the morning also allows leaves and stems to dry out during the day, minimising the risk of diseases harbouring in the moisture.
What Flowers to Plant for Summer: January
Globe amaranth seeds, gazania seeds, marigold seeds, and Australian native seeds are your top picks for planting in January. You can pot up seedlings into 100mm pots before planting or use our peat pots to limit transplant shock. The bigger root systems that develop will enable the plants to cope better with the heat, and you can think ahead and plant autumn-flowering bulbs such as belladonna, autumn crocus bulbs, and nerines.
What Vegetables to Plant in Summer: January
You can also plant late summer crops of carrot seeds, beetroot seeds, radish seeds, capsicum seeds, Asian green seeds, as well as bean seeds, sweetcorn seeds, and tomato seeds. Cherry tomatoes are a good choice, as these ripen faster and will be ready to harvest before the cold weather sets in.
For a constant supply of fresh salad through the summer and autumn seasons, keep planting leafy greens every couple of weeks, too.
What Herbs to Plant in Summer: January
Herb seeds such as basil seeds, mint seeds, oregano seeds, and thyme seeds require regular picking, as this will keep plants healthy, bushy and productive. If you have a harvest glut, join a swap group, share with friends and neighbours, or donate to a local food bank or soup kitchen – don’t let the food go to waste!
Trimming Flowers in January
January is also the time to trim your summer-flowering seeds, such as lavender, sage, and rosemary, and you’ll need to cut back perennials such as daisies and salvia for more blooms in autumn.
What to Plant in February in Australia
February is a month of enjoying the rewards of spring-planted vegetables and flowers. February is also the month to keep on top of any pest and disease infestations that flourish during the hot and humid summer months.
During the month, regularly apply liquid fertiliser to leafy vegetables and flowering annuals. This replaces nutrients washed away by rain and consumed during this high production period. Keep your annuals and perennials well watered during the hot spells, as they can test the resilience of many tender plants.
What Flowers to Plant for Summer: February
While February is typically one of the hottest months of the year, it’s a good time to start your autumn sowings in seed pots and trays or greenhouses, avoiding placement in direct sun during the hottest parts of the day. Flower seeds to sow now are alyssum seeds, aquilegia seeds, calendula seeds, candytuft seeds, carnation seeds, delphinium seeds, pansy seeds, poppy seeds, and snapdragon seeds.
The final month of summer calls for your spring-flowering bulbs. February is a good time to start your bulb planting, so look out for daffodil bulbs, Dutch irises, crocus bulbs, hyacinth bulbs, and freesia bulbs. If you're a lover of tulips, wait until March or April, when the soil has cooled down.
What Fruit to Plant in Summer: February
Some of the best varieties of fruits that you can grow in February include passionfruit seeds and fruit plants.
What Vegetables to Plant in Summer: February
There are many vegetable seeds that you can get started on growing in February. Specifically, this makes for the ideal time to sow beetroot seeds, broccoli seeds, Brussels sprout seeds, cabbage seeds, cauliflower seeds, celery seeds, leek seeds, onion seeds, spinach seeds, and lettuce seeds.
Buy Summer-Sowing Seeds in Australia at Mr Fothergill’s
After learning what to plant in summer to get your garden thriving, even in the warmer months, you can take your pick from all of your favourite varieties listed above!
If you’re searching for quality seeds to get sowing this season, Mr Fothergill’s is the best place to buy all your favourite summer vegetable seeds, summer-sowing flower seeds, and spring-flowering bulbs, with so many cultivars to choose from. For more guidance around planting in summer, spring, and every other season, take a look at our garden advice blog.
