The Beds
Three corrugated raised beds on gravel against the back fence, each 1.6 m by 0.8 m (about 1.3 square metres each, just under 4 square metres in total). Numbered 1 to 3, left to right as you face them. With that little space, every crop has to earn its spot: one crop family per bed per season, tight succession sowing, and no passengers.
Winter 2026 allocation
| Bed | Crops | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Bed 1 | Broccoli | Success |
| Bed 2 | Beans, leeks, wombok | Beans still growing; leeks failed and removed; wombok harvested |
| Bed 3 | Beetroot, carrots, lettuce | Beetroot and lettuce good; carrots severely deformed |
Planting and Harvesting Diary
Timing for Jerrabomberra (Canberra region): cool temperate climate, roughly 600 m altitude, and frost possible any time from April through to late October. The average last spring frost is around late October, so frost-tender crops (tomatoes, beans, zucchini, corn, pumpkin and the rest of the cucurbits) go out from late October onwards. Frost-hardy crops can go in much earlier.
Summer crops (frost tender)
| Crop | Sow | Plant out | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Indoors Aug-Sep | Late Oct-Nov | Dec-Mar |
| Capsicum and chilli | Indoors Aug-Sep | Nov | Feb-Apr |
| Eggplant | Indoors Aug-Sep | Nov | Feb-Apr |
| Zucchini | Oct-Nov | - | Dec-Mar |
| Cucumber | Oct-Nov | - | Dec-Feb |
| Pumpkin | Oct-Nov | - | Mar-May |
| Sweetcorn | Oct-Dec | - | Jan-Mar |
| Beans (bush and climbing) | Oct-Dec | - | Dec-Mar |
Winter and cool-season crops (frost hardy)
| Crop | Sow | Plant out | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broad beans | Mar-May | - | Sep-Nov |
| Peas | Feb-May | - | Jun-Nov |
| Broccoli | Jan-Mar, Aug | Feb-Apr | Jun-Oct |
| Cabbage | Dec-Mar | Jan-Apr | May-Oct |
| Cauliflower | Dec-Feb | Jan-Mar | May-Aug |
| Wombok and Asian greens | Feb-Apr | Mar-Apr | May-Aug |
| Kale | Jan-Apr, Jul-Aug | - | May-Nov |
| Garlic | Cloves Apr-Jun | - | Nov-Dec |
| Onion | Seed Jun-Aug | Jul-Sep | Dec-Jan |
| Leek | Aug-Oct | Oct-Dec | Mar-Jul |
| Potato | - | Sep-Nov | Dec-Mar |
Near year-round
| Crop | Sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|
| Lettuce | Feb-May, Aug-Oct (bolts in summer heat) | 6-10 weeks after sowing |
| Spinach | Feb-May, Jul-Sep | 6-8 weeks after sowing |
| Silverbeet | Feb-Apr, Aug-Oct | Pick leaves as needed |
| Carrot | Aug-Mar, direct only | 10-12 weeks after sowing |
| Beetroot | Aug-Feb, direct | 8-10 weeks after sowing |
| Radish | Sep-Mar, direct | 4-6 weeks after sowing |
| Spring onion | Most of the year, direct | 8-10 weeks after sowing |
Notes
- Sow lettuce, radish and spring onion in small batches every 2-3 weeks rather than all at once.
- Carrots must be direct sown. Transplanting (and fresh manure) is what gives you forked, deformed roots.
- Wombok and Asian greens bolt fast in spring; treat them as autumn sowings.
- Rotate crop families between beds each season: brassicas, legumes, roots, then fruiting crops.
Calendar compiled from plantingseason.com.au and plantplanner.com.au Canberra planting guides.