Planting In Autumn - Yes we can

Jenna Zanchettin
Apr 19
6 min read

Updated: May 17

Welcome autumn as an opportunity to chill out as it's all about planting crops that require a longer growing season to develop.

While the plants take longer, we still plant in the cooler months. Most gardeners will agree it's nature's way of inviting you to pause from tedious tending to the summer garden. But for the beginner gardeners, look out, this is your gateway to veggies, and you will be hooked as the cooler months provide an easy introduction to gardening.

Although harvests are slower than summer, it's an ideal time to rejuvenate the soil and prepare for future planting. As frost affects warm-weather crops like tomatoes, basil and cucumbers, don't worry about that; there is plenty to replace them. It's also a great time to focus on sunlight changes to strategically plant leafy greens. Assess and amend the soil for long-season root crops, because cool seasons are all about root crops. We still include cool-season flowers to attract beneficial insects, too.

Seeds - Direct Sowing

Beetroot tapes, carrot seed tapes and peas thrive with direct sowing and prefer the cooler seasons. If your pea pods didn't come to much over the summer months, it's because they thrive in the cooler months and if your beetroot grew into tall leafy trees, they bolted, so try again in autumn. Microgreens are another great option and are best to grow indoors to make your meals taste delish and make them look a bit fancy.

Seedling - Available for Purchase in Punnets

Although you can grow your own, these are the ones you might want to pick up from the garden center.

Brassicas

Broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage. Most places offer 6-packs, allowing you to get 2 of each.

*A lush field of cabbage with pea straw*

Pak Choy

Simple to grow and quick to harvest so lets bring on that dopamine hit and give yourself a sense of accomplishment.

Spring onions

These are excellent, and if you have too many, just slice them and whack them in the freezer.

Beetroot

They are also available in punnets.

Attention: Never buy carrots in a punnet- avoid that mistake. Also, avoid raising carrot seedlings in a punnet. They transplant poorly and grow wonky, so back away from that punnet.

Leafy Greens

Keep it easy and stick with lettuce and spinach and It's time to evaluate which leafy greens you're planting and replacing. Switch from Cos lettuce to Oak Leaf Lettuce, as it thrives in cooler seasons. Additionally, plant it in full sun rather than partial shade. Partial shade is suitable for summer and spring lettuce, since lettuce dislikes intense heat.

Spinach is an excellent choice for growing, and if you haven't seen the scatter sowing method.

This seed is the Spinach Seed - Hybrid No7 F1 and the only spinach I will scatter sow... it doesn't really work with other seed types.

Herbs - Cool Season

Coriander enthusiasts, it's your moment to be happy. This herb doesn't usually thrive in hot weather, so be sure to plant it between March and June when it gets cooler, you have a chance for less bolting (when the plant flowers and goes to seed). For the people who think its tastes like soap, I'm sorry.

As temperatures drop even further in June and July, it will be time to cool it quits; coriander can be sensitive to frost, especially in cooler regions like the South Island of New Zealand or other frost-prone areas. It's a matter of trial and error, so find out what works best for your location! So let's be happy we don't have to buy from the supermarket in the cooler seasons.

Bulbs

In New Zealand, garlic is customarily planted on the year's shortest day, which occurs in June. However, don't wait until that week to buy your bulbs; purchase them now to secure the best, plump bulbs. Store them in a cool, dark spot in the garage (avoid stacking them, as this can cause spoilage). And if you hadn't heard, you can plant garlic before the shortest day, such as in April and May, which can sometimes help reduce rust on your garlic.

Most importantly, ensure you purchase garlic from a reputable supplier to guarantee quality bulbs such as Morton Smith - Dawe. If you see their packaging in a retail store, you're onto a good thing. And on a side note, their potatoes are elite and their potato ferterliser is even more elite and its commercial grade, so you get the trade secret concoction.

Image: Whole garlic

Flowers for the cooler seasons

Sorry to break it to you, the flowers you would have planted are summer-loving and will get frosted in the cooler seasons. It's time to get new plants; remember, we change out our plants twice a year: in March/April, then again in September/October, depending on what part of NZ you live in. If you're cooler, watch for the late frosts. Now, on to the plants - how about you try Calendula? This is winter's version of the summer marigold. It self-seeds, too, so it can pop up the following year. Pansies, Violas, Dianthus, and Snapdragons are winners in the garden too. But newbies, stay away from polyanthus. We know they look pretty, but the upkeep is far from pretty. The snails also love to eat those, and the constant deadheading of the flowers will tire you out (removing the finished flowers).

Image: Viola, Calendula, Dianthus

Steps for planting in Autumn

Soil - Don't Even Think About Skipping This Step

If soil/dirt chat feels overwhelming and like a mental burden, I understand. Break it down into three steps. But if you want amazing plants, you need amazing soil.

Weekend 1 - Remove the Old Plants

You can pull them out, shake the soil off the roots, or cut the old plants at the stem. If you don’t know what I mean by stem cutting, it’s all good; watch this video and see the worms come!

Weekend 2 - Replenish Your Soil

It's time to make a cake, but in your garden. Your soil will have settled and lost nutrients after removing the old plants. This happens because the plants have robbed the soil of essential nutrients to survive. To ensure your soil is strong enough to nourish your new seedlings, you need to build it back up. Your soil compacts as air particles are removed, so it's crucial to raise it back up each year, or even twice a year.

Steps to Replenish Your Soil:

Add 'compost': If you're getting trailer loads of compost, be aware that it can be very hot. Allow it to cool down in the garden bed for about a week before mixing it in. If you're buying compost in bags, you're good to place it in the garden right away. Compost improves soil structure, moisture retention, and nutrient content, making it ideal to mix into your existing soil.
Include garden lime: Lime adds calcium, which is essential for vegetable growth, and helps balance pH levels in your soil, making nutrients more available to plants.
Consider blood and bone meal: This fertiliser provides a source of nitrogen for lush leaf growth and phosphorus for root growth, and generally just promoting healthy growth and flowering overall.
Now mix it all through your garden beds with a garden fork or spade, just like a cake. Lastly, water it down.
If you're planting in pots, remember to take out 1/4 to 1/3 of the old soil and replenish it with bags of fresh potting or container mix to ensure your plants thrive. You dont need to add the compost, lime or blood and bone meal as thats all contained in the bag already!

Weekend 3 - The Fun Part: Shopping and Planting

Now that the soil is ready in your garden, it's time to enjoy the process of selecting your plants (dont forget your shopping list) and getting them in the ground.

Now, sit back and relax while you watch your garden flourish!

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Although this gardening blog shares my experiences and factual horticultural information, remember that your gardening journey is unique to you. Adapt, experiment, and learn from your own experiences; that's all part of the process.