Getting started
Sowing and space
Direct-sow small batches where they will grow and repeat only while conditions remain mild.
The cycle is an editorial band linked to the method above. Cultivar, temperature, transplant age and the harvest stage can change it.
Allow about 20 cm of usable depth and roughly 12 cm between plants. A suitably sized container can work when the full root volume and mature canopy are allowed.
Water demand is moderate and regular. That is not a fixed timetable: heat, wind, rain, container size and growth stage change the interval.
Planting windows by broad profile
The highlighted months are conservative editorial references, not a current forecast or postcode calendar. Confirm the cultivar, packet, current warning and local advice.
Tropical wet–dry
Use the coolest dry-season weeks and accept a short leaf harvest.
Humid subtropical
Hot and arid
Afternoon shade can reduce heat stress but does not replace sufficient light.
Warm temperate
Cool temperate
Practical care
- Sow successively rather than relying on one large batch.
- Allow selected plants to flower only if seed is wanted.
Points to check
- Heat can cause rapid bolting.
- Crowded wet foliage can develop disease.
Provenance and confidence
This rule is editorial guidance without claimed independent agronomic review. Confidence describes evidence coverage, not the chance of a harvest.
Australian home food garden editorial synthesis — version 1
Original synthesis for broad Australian profiles. It remains editorial draft until independent agronomic review is recorded.