What To Plant In Late Summer and Autumn

The Restored BNZ Bank in Kaiapoi

It is often easy to forget that this late summer is a great time to start planning for the “hungry gap” of late autumn and early winter. So, this is my public service announcement - don’t forget to start sowing, or at least plan to plant, your fall crops in the next couple of weeks.

words: Minette Tonoli images: Supplied

The Canterbury region is rather large, with quite a few different climate zones – even the microclimate in your own garden can make a difference, so be sure to use the following as an ideas list only, and check seed packets or seedling labels for more information specific to your exact growing conditions. 

Leafy greens

·         Amaranth

·         Chinese Greens

·         Collards

·         Kale

·         Lettuce

·         Mizuna

·         Mustard

·         Silverbeet

·         Spinach

Root vegetables

·         Beetroot

·         Carrots

·         Celeriac

·         Leeks

·         Onions

·         Parsnip

·         Potatoes

·         Radish (incl. Daikon)

·         Shallots

·         Spring onion

·         Swede

·         Turnip

Heading vegetables

·         Broccoli & Sprouting Broccoli

·         Brussel Sprouts

·         Cabbage

·         Cauliflower (incl. Broccoflower)

Stem vegetables

·         Celery

·         Fennel (bulb)

·         Kohrabi

·         Rhubarb

Podding vegetables

·         Beans (dwarf or bush)

·         Broad beans

·         Peas
Many peas are better suited to be sown later in the cooler months but a few varieties do well with summer sowing, e.g., Easy Peasy, Sugar Snaps and Snow Peas.

Culinary herbs

·         Chervil

·         Chives

·         Coriander

·         Dill

·         Marjoram

·         Oregano

·         Parsley

·         Rocket