Your Herb Planting Guide For Spring

The outdoor chefs of Australia are getting excited. Very excited! Barbecue season is nearly here. It’s almost time to open up your louvred aluminium exterior shutters to let the sun shine in, invite a few friends to your outdoor entertainment area and fire up the bbq. But before you do all that, it’s time to start thinking about planting a few herbs in spring. Your barbecue meal will taste so much better with the addition of some tasty herbs straight from your garden; here are some of the best growing varieties in the specific climate conditions in your part of the country:

Subtropical including South-east Queensland and Northern New South Wales: sow basil, chives, coriander, dill, mint, oregano, parsley, sage and thyme.

• Wet and dry tropical including North Queensland, Western Australia and Northern Territory: plant basil, chilli, chives, ginger, dill, mint, parsley and oregano.

• Dry inland including outback and other arid areas: these areas are good for growing all types of herbs but your main priority has to be protecting plants from the heat in late spring.

• Temperate areas including Sydney, coastal New South Wales and Victoria: this is the time to sow chives, basil, coriander, dill, oregano, mint, parsley, thyme and sage.

• Cool and Southern Tablelands including Melbourne, Tasmania and cool highlands: plant chives, basil, coriander, dill, oregano, mint, parsley, thyme and sage in time for summer barbies.

• Mediterranean including Adelaide and Perth: sow chives, basil, coriander, dill, oregano, mint, parsley, thyme and sage.

While you’re planting herbs this spring, you can also sow some other summer dining staples. These include lettuce, onions, tomatoes, sweet corn, spring onion,  radish and zucchini. However, as Australia is such a large country with very diverse climate zones from coast to coast, it is important to check that what you plant will survive and thrive at this time of year. There are plenty of online resources to guide you but your local garden centre is best placed to advise you due to the mere fact that they are indeed local. They know what grows in your region, and what doesn’t do as well.

No matter where you are and what you want to plant, make sure that you prepare your soil by digging in nutrient-rich compost and manure and make sure the soil is well watered. Water first thing in the morning or in the evening – irrigating your garden in the heat of the day will only lead to most of that precious water being evaporated before it can penetrate the soil and feed your herb plants. By following these simple steps, you can harvest a variety of herbs that will add so much flavour to your long-awaited barbecue meal.

Carlos Wagner