Three raised beds, an established grapevine trellis and a grapefruit tree — laid out, explained, and tracked as the season goes.
Sydney sun tracks north, so tall or trellised plants sit on the south side of each bed to avoid shading the shorter plants next to them.
Capsicum at ~40cm spacing. Mint stays in a buried pot — even in a raised bed its runners will choke neighbouring roots within a season.
Varieties: Tommy Toe, Sweet Bite, Grosse Lisse, Roma. Wide 85cm spacing improves airflow and lowers blight risk in humid weather.
Trellis runs along the south side so cucumber doesn't shade the zucchini and beans on the sunnier north side.
Late August through October — soil prep to first feed.
| When | Do |
|---|---|
| Now (late Aug) | Top up soil with 5cm compost/soil mix, let settle 1–2 weeks. Buy stakes, trellis and pots now. |
| Early Sept | Buy bean, snow pea and zucchini seed packets. Nothing planted yet — soil still too cold. |
| Mid-Sept (15th+) | Once overnight lows sit above ~10°C, it's clear to plant. |
| 15–21 Sept | Plant all seedlings (tomato, capsicum, cucumber, herbs). Direct-sow beans, zucchini, snow peas, radish, lettuce, rocket. |
| Late Sept | Daily water until roots establish, then drop to 2–3×/week deep watering. |
| Early Oct | First liquid feed (seaweed solution) — especially tomato and capsicum. |
| Ongoing | Stake tomatoes as they grow, pinch basil to keep it bushy, train cucumber up the trellis. |
Planting notes and ongoing care for everything in the three beds, plus the grapevines and grapefruit already established. Tap any plant to expand.
Seedlings, mid-Sept once nights stay above 10°C. ~40cm spacing, full sun.
Deep water 2–3×/week once established. Stake if heavy-fruiting. Liquid feed (seaweed) from early Oct, then fortnightly.
Pairs well with dill, which draws in aphid predators. Ready roughly 10–12 weeks after planting; colour deepens the longer it hangs.
Seedling/punnet, mid-Sept, full sun, bed edge.
Low maintenance — water regularly, trim to encourage regrowth.
Keep away from beans (alliums inhibit bean growth). Good companion for capsicum.
Seed or seedling, mid-Sept, full sun.
Light, even water. Avoid disturbing roots once established — it self-seeds.
Attracts predatory insects that eat aphids off capsicum — plant nearby.
Mid-Sept, in a bottomless or standard pot buried in the bed.
Regular water, cut back hard through the season to control spread.
Must stay contained — left free, its runners will choke neighbouring roots within a season.
Punnet, mid-Sept, full sun, north edge.
Water regularly, harvest outer leaves as needed rather than pulling the whole plant.
Quick to mature — a good filler ahead of slower crops needing the space.
Direct-sow seed, mid-Sept, full sun.
Keep moist, thin seedlings once they emerge.
Fast-growing and finishes early — resow every few weeks for a continuous crop.
Seedlings (×3 in Bed 1, extra seed packet in Bed 2), mid-Sept.
Keep well watered; a little afternoon shade helps once it warms up.
Harvest outer leaves continuously. Bolts in heat — succession sow for a steady supply.
Seedling, mid-Sept, full sun, north corner.
Drought-tolerant once established. Trim after flowering to keep it bushy.
Perennial — stays in the bed from season to season.
Seedling, mid-Sept, full sun.
Low water needs once established. Trim after flowering.
Perennial — pairs well in the same corner as oregano.
Tommy Toe, Sweet Bite, Grosse Lisse, Roma.
4 seedlings, mid-Sept, south side of the bed, 85cm spacing, staked or caged at planting.
Deep, consistent watering — irregular watering causes splitting and blossom end rot. Liquid feed fortnightly once fruiting starts. Tie in as it grows.
Plant basil alongside for flavour and aphid control. Wide spacing keeps airflow up and blight risk down in humid weather.
3 seedlings (sweet, with one Thai basil), mid-Sept, interplanted with tomato.
Pinch tips regularly to keep it bushy and delay flowering.
Classic tomato companion — improves flavour, deters aphids.
2 seedlings, mid-Sept, at each end of the bed.
Regular water, harvest outer stems as needed.
Biennial — may run to seed in its second year.
1–2 seedlings, mid-Sept, west end plot.
Regular water, light feed.
Cut-and-come-again — harvest outer leaves for a long season.
Direct-sow seed, mid-Sept, west end plot.
Keep evenly moist for good root formation.
Ready in ~4 weeks — finishes before tomato needs the space.
4 seedlings (slicing + 1–2 Lebanese), mid-Sept, south side on trellis, 30cm spacing.
Deep, frequent water — shallow roots dislike drying out. Train up the trellis as it grows. Feed fortnightly once flowering.
Trellising saves floor space and improves airflow around the fruit.
1 seedling, mid-Sept, full sun, needs room to sprawl.
Water at the base — wet leaves invite powdery mildew. Feed regularly once fruiting.
Prolific — one plant is usually plenty. Harvest young and often.
2 seed packets, direct-sown mid-Sept.
Regular water — no extra nitrogen feed needed, they fix their own.
Good near heavy feeders like zucchini. Keep away from alliums.
Direct-sow mid-Sept, at the base of the trellis.
Train up the trellis or mesh, water regularly.
Same allium caution as bush beans — keep away from chives and onions.
Seed packet, direct-sown mid-Sept — a cooler-season crop.
Regular water, light support helps them climb.
Finishes before the summer heat sets in.
Established vine — seedless red table grape.
Prune hard during winter dormancy (June–July), back to 2–3 buds per spur. Full sun, deep infrequent watering once established. Balanced fertiliser as spring growth resumes.
Fast-ripening, good fresh eating. Watch for powdery mildew in humid Sydney summers — keep the canopy open for airflow.
Established vine — seedless white/green grape, good fresh or dried.
Same winter dormant pruning as Flame Seedless. A vigorous grower — may need extra summer trimming to keep the canopy in check.
Ripens slightly later than Flame Seedless, which stretches out the harvest window.
Established citrus tree.
Deep weekly water (more in heat), citrus-specific fertiliser in spring and again in late summer. Mulch around the base, kept clear of the trunk.
Watch for citrus leaf miner and gall wasp. Fruit can hang on the tree for weeks once ripe — harvest when fully coloured and it gives slightly to gentle pressure.
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