What we're planting in Subtropical Australia this August

[@sharonthompson1363]

First time viewer from Gladstone here. So happy to have found a channel that is based close to us in terms of climate.

[@loveofdirt]

Hope you find the channel helpful!

[@deliachitts1964]

Hi, I’m so glad I found your channel I’m new to Gladstone and I am used to tropical not subtropical climate. This is a great help. My potatoes have shot up tall green shoots 😊 so happy. I have subscribed to your channel 😊

[@kristinajohnstone901]

I'm from Gladstone too!! So glad to find another channel other than 'self sufficient me'

[@lisadolan689]

Same. Cairns for me

[@Philmoon69]

finally some one who tells me when to plant in my area :)We are from the valley near Toowoomba. We grow Hydroponically, we use a NFT table for lettuce which grows perfect lettuce everytime. We also grow in something called Dutch buckets for capsicums, tomato, zuccini then we have some raised beds for chilli plants and root crops. Thanks for putting out content that is helpful and not just you tuber flim flam to get the video long.

[@loveofdirt]

Oh nice! I want to get into more hydro this summer, our aquaponics is mostly hydro now as we harvested out Barra so we didn’t have to switch on the heater. I’ve done kratky and I have some auto pots.

[@brooklyn3534]

I would love to learn how to grow hydroponics as i only use soil ​@@loveofdirt

[@mrleeal]

i like the lack of labor approach of composting where you plan to have the bed smart thinking

[@loveofdirt]

Yep getting too old to move it around 😂 although I’ll run out of space soon and want to plant stuff instead

[@mrleeal]

@@loveofdirt yep 37 life in the trades I feel your pain

[@zappy7393]

From Ipswich here and its great to see what other gardeners are growing, month to month in our climate. The QLD fruit fly absolutely destroyed my first tomato harvest last year and I learnt the lesson about growing in a QLD summer. I'm doing the same thing with Pak Choi and Spring Onion! Lots of Chinese hot pot dinners will be awesome.

[@loveofdirt]

Nothing worse than fruit fly, luckily tomatoes are easily covered. I lived out that way for a few years and I feel like they were especially bad out at Ipswich, so I feel your pain. Hopefully with the cooler winter we've had they'll at least be a little later this year.

[@CQuinnLady]

Im 12 months living in Ipswich and just learning about the QLD fruit fly and when to plant. Originally a Sydney girl. Ive sat for a year watching the suns movement, regenerating the soil (full of rocks, black clay and builders debri) and working out the best times to plant. I did have tomatoes grow the first time we moved in and we managed to get a few, but it wasnt very successful, the soil was really bad. Fingers crossed for better year.

[@loveofdirt]

I'd probably suggest getting a soil test if you're not using raised beds and working with builders debri (particularly if you're in the older parts of Ipswich). You don't want to end up with lead poisoning! There is one through the Macquarie university called Vegesafe, it's by donation (I think $20 is recommended) as they are researching contamination.

[@ren2ski]

Thanks for the video it’s wonderful finding others who grow in the sub tropics (Lockyer Valley region here). Love the idea of the one bed for the month, will use this to stop my analysis paralysis 😂❤

[@loveofdirt]

😂

[@EmilyBieman]

I’ve recently moved to the subtropics after 20 years of gardening in temperate New South Wales. It’s all very new and different here (it actually rains 😀) So, thank goodness for your video. Please do some more.

[@loveofdirt]

Our winters/springs are usually dry. It hasn’t been the case for a few years though.

[@EmilyBieman]

Good to know, and that explains things last year....

[@kerryevans2038]

Just came across your video and have subscribed.

[@loveofdirt]

Thank you!

[@Tinachimneycreekfarm]

Thanks for sharing where your garden is up to!

[@loveofdirt]

Thanks for watching

[@dalemarshall8727]

Gosh. Loved this. Made so many notes on seed types etc. And back up planting. Have been a bit frustrated lately on lack of success and felt like giving up. So many programs but not enough with advise for sub tropics in Australia. Well done.

[@loveofdirt]

Glad you found it helpful

[@ShaneJackson-y3s]

Keep up the great work can't wait for spring to get here keep the videos coming thanks

[@loveofdirt]

Thanks ☺️

[@LeeRowe-nt6dd]

Loved your video and explanations - especially as you're planting Subtropical in the same area as us

[@loveofdirt]

Hope you found it helpful

[@MarigoldsintheGarden]

Hi from the Sunshine Coast. I only recently discovered your wonderful channel. You do a great job explaining which varieties of veggies grow each month. We have been having such cold nights here, close to freezing! Looking forward to some rain soon.

[@loveofdirt]

Thank you! It has been colder than usual, but I like having our dry season winters back, at least the powdery mildew isn't completely out of control.

[@leonsaquaponicsandhomegard6793]

@@MarigoldsintheGarden I’m just north of Gympie and the frost this week has knocked some of my plants a bit. Luckily most of my starts are still in the greenhouse 😊 weatherWatchTV on KZbin has really good and accurate weather forecasts.

[@loveofdirt]

It's definitely been colder than it has in years. Hopefully that doesn't mean the opposite come summer.

[@leonsaquaponicsandhomegard6793]

@@loveofdirt I’ve been doing lots of swales and sinking and harvesting water to help in between rain. Making the most of our subtropical large rain falls in short time frames and big gaps between. Luckily of got a large aquaponics to help.

[@loveofdirt]

Every time I think about giving up on the aquaponics I then remember it gets us through summer.

[@katesmiles4208]

I sympathise with your kids. I've been living on the winter staple of snow peas and greens too. I'm also looking forward to some more variety 😊

[@loveofdirt]

😂 I thought they’d be ok once the sugar snaps started but they were over all the peas.

[@inkironmojo775]

Awesome great to find more Aussie content… I’m in north east NSW so also subtropical and just stating so learning a lot from you thanks

[@loveofdirt]

Thanks for watching 😊 glad you’re finding them helpful

[@Rainsley63]

Great info on what to plant at this time of year. Watching from Brisbane bayside.

[@loveofdirt]

Thanks for watching

[@sandracastle9319]

My soil was the same as your purchased soil. The only thing that fixed it was perlite. Lots of it. Luckily here in Bundaberg Queensland, we have a couple of local produces so I can get it quite cheap, about $35 for 100 liters. It has done a great job and I now have worms in the soil which is a bonus. I am new to your channel so I have subscribed and looking forward to your updates. Cheers.

[@loveofdirt]

I did try perlite but it wasn’t a lot as it’s pretty expensive $$$ here. I think some horticultural sand might be worth trying. I probably should do that test people do - mixing it with water to see how it settles. Thankfully it’s only this one bed.

[@sandracastle9319]

@@loveofdirt Be careful mixing sand with clay can be a myth. My research told me that mixing those together makes it set like concrete. That is why I ended up with perlite. It is expensive in Bunnings $29 for 5 litres where as I got my huge bag for $35 from a local farm supplies garden center. Cheers.

[@loveofdirt]

That’s what I had thought too, but I was reading a book that said if it’s a certain type of clay that horticultural sand will work. Not builders or playground - the stuff they use in hydroponics which I guess serves a similar purpose as perlite. This bed has to come down anyway due to tree roots so it’s probably not worth it anyway.

[@kiqueenbees]

@@sandracastle9319 You need a lot of sand to stop the concrete effect. Say 6 to 1, sand to clay. Ref: 'Growing Media', Handreck, UNSWP, 1994, page15. This book is my bible.

[@loveofdirt]

Ooh thanks!

[@MattMilla76]

Nice video!! It's a no-brainer that Brisbane is subtropical. However, I was reading The Little Veggie Patch book, and they seem to think Sydney is subtropical. But we are getting 5-7 degree overnight temps. So cold still. No tomato seedlings just yet. Love your garden. Very jealous!

[@loveofdirt]

I would call Sydney temperate for sure. I usually don’t plant my tomatoes out until they’re about 8-10 weeks old. So I guess it’s counting back from your last expected frost date and raising them in a hot house/inside.

[@crankybanshee3809]

I'm an hour up the freeway from you and we've had a lot of 2 degree nights yet somehow there are volunteer tomatoes sprouting in my wind-exposed garden??. And be warned - Queensland fruit fly reached us for the first time last summer and it's a mongrel to combat compared to our usual itty-bitty fruit flies.

[@loveofdirt]

Last year they were here in August. Hoping the cooler weather keeps them away at least until spring

[@badajoma]

Thank you, so helpful with sowing & planting guide👏 .. Keen for Summer crops, not the extremes on garden & me

[@loveofdirt]

Haha I know, it will get you a point where I put the sweet potatoes in and step back.

[@RooBars]

The landscape supply garden soil is usually full of clay (doesn't matter where you get it from). If I need soil from a place like this I recommend 50% premium soil and 50% nursery potting mix. That has been a winning combination for me after having the same issues you have with the bed you talk about with the compost bin.

[@loveofdirt]

Yeah that’s a better way to do it. We’ve mostly built ours up with loads of compost over the years, this one has been challenging to fix. The tree roots in it also haven’t helped.

[@RooBars]

@@loveofdirt Best of luck with this one :)

[@leonsaquaponicsandhomegard6793]

Good stuff. Fantastic content 😊😊😊

[@loveofdirt]

Thank you 🙌

[@craigmerryfull7704]

I gave up trying to fight the roots of next doors Jacaranda and just put wicking beds over the top.

[@loveofdirt]

Yeah that’s what we’re doing too.

[@honeybacres]

You have plenty of stuff going into your beds there. It is a little while yet before we can most of them in here near Goulburn but all in good time.

[@loveofdirt]

Goulburn would be considered cool temperate?

[@honeybacres]

@@loveofdirt yes cool temperate is right. We are having a lovely spring like day today. 11.3° and sunny. It is lovely.

[@loveofdirt]

@honeybacres I bet your architecture is better. Anything below 20 and our old Qlders feel like -10

[@honeybacres]

@@loveofdirt ha ha. Our house is 40 years old. Had no insulation when we moved in so had to fix that. Slowly fixing up all the gaps around the windows. Australian buildings are terrible for keeping cold or hot weather outside.

[@southofthesticks]

It's great to find another Aussie channel ! ❤ Even if you are a bit higher than Gippsland. 😃👍💜💚💜🐨🇦🇺

[@loveofdirt]

Probably still freezing down your way? We’re hitting late 20s on the weekend

[@Pocketsand662]

Rockhampton viewer! I got some tulle from spotlight a few years ago. Covered my cabbage with it. This year I’ve opted to turn the tulle into bags for the fruit. Going to cover everything the fruits. I’m not loosing all my produce this year to the cucumber fly!

[@loveofdirt]

Careful as tulle may not be UV resistant and when I used it years ago it disintegrated after a few seasons.

[@Pocketsand662]

@@loveofdirt oh that must be why it ripped so easily! Didn’t know that. Oh well. If it holds on until spring I’ll be happy!

[@loveofdirt]

​@@Pocketsand662 I think Bunnings sells the exclusion bags now, I bought some ages ago on eBay and they've lasted 5 years so far, except when the rats and fruit bats tear through them.

[@stewartthomas2642]

Thankyou love your stuff kick on love it ❤❤️🧡💛💚💙💜🤍

[@loveofdirt]

Thanks ☺️

[@Chris-op7yt]

since i moved away from garden beds to simple and ever flexible rows, i'm loving it more. also moved away from constant composting and buying in dead organic matter, which when makes up most of the soil, has both too dry or too wet problems. i have a driptape watering system, and it was so easy to set up, because i ditched the whole boxes thing.

[@loveofdirt]

Yeah we had to go raised because of our dog 🐶 but we did have an area that worked well. Unfortunately it ended up being the spot marked for a carport.

[@Chris-op7yt]

@@loveofdirt : i had a dog, and it loved to jump into garden beds and dig. now i only have a cat problem ;) raised beds are expensive initially and on-going. in my opinion unless you're on rock/concrete, money better spent on irrigation and good seed starting setup with commercial cell trays, heat matt, proper lights. and you can also use full length hoes and other equipment (not avail in bunnings), and setup support structures quickly and more easily, not being constrained by raised beds. i started with raised beds, because that's what all organics youtubers were praising, and then i found the truth and flexibility of simple dirt rows, which you can heel up or whatever, whenever you want. anyhow, hope this coming warm season sees good growing for all. last year i got root nematodes, buggers.

[@joanrossington6932]

Another great video. Although Sub tropical summer here our winters are a bit colder so will wait until late August for some of these although my favourite cherry tomatoes have been self seeding everywhere.

[@loveofdirt]

Yeah I’ve got a few popping up too! In the most inconvenient places of course 😂

[@reddeer1758]

Oh yay! I live in the far north in New Zealand so while it's not quite as warm as your area it's pretty close. Good to see a video about a garden that doesn't get frost and is getting prepared for the spring! My berries and early fruit trees are currently beginning to grow their first leaves. My peas, lettuce, rocket and beetroots are growing like crazy. How warm are your nights at the moment? Wondering how much warmer it is over there.

[@loveofdirt]

Oh nice! I can’t wait for berries, our blueberries are loaded this year.

[@jasonwyman5096]

grow your own food my favorite food tomato hot chillys and corn adelaide best weather for these plants

[@loveofdirt]

Less humidity would help!

[@reaganadams379]

Have you tried the apple cider vinegar with dish soap in a bottle for the fruit fly as a trap around your fruit salad tree?

[@loveofdirt]

Not for QLD Fruit fly. Only vinegar flies.

[@apmcrobert2270]

What size is your new bed? Loving your videos. I'm in the dry tropics, so am encouraged by your monthly plans, but I need to tailor things for our growing conditions. ❤

[@loveofdirt]

It’s the birdies 6 in 1 configured to .9 x 1.3

[@THOOODAI]

This is awesome please make videos of how they’re going. Also do you think it’s too late to plant these in September? Seems like it’s a lot hotter now. Reckon most of them will still last?

[@loveofdirt]

Update is coming today ☺️ Yes you could do this in September (right up to January) - just ditch the row of carrots.

[@sarahwit]

Hello from the Lockyer Valley! Just curious, where did you purchase your "Mini Winis" (9:00) from? They look great!

[@loveofdirt]

Active Vista in Tassie have them Australia.

[@karenfourie2449]

Hi there, thanks for the video. Much appreciated. What are the garden beds called, I could not hear properly, did you say Burny”s garden beds? Thanks.

[@loveofdirt]

Birdies

[@aprilLiz2023]

How do the beds go in summer? I was wondering if the beds heat up a lot and cause any problems burning the plants. 🌱

[@loveofdirt]

As long as I’ve got them topped right up with soil, I don’t find them to be a problem. I usually protect my sensitive crops with shade anyway.

[@mygardenclassroom]

Have you tried Dragons Tongue bush bean? It's my favourite and I love it's streaky purple colour

[@loveofdirt]

Yes I have! I didn’t find they produced a great deal but the year we grew them we had a really bad case of bean fly.

[@mygardenclassroom]

@@loveofdirt aww that's a shame, cheeky buggers

[@aussieallrounder6018]

Hi there. What's mixed in with the water in the watering can? Cheers

[@loveofdirt]

Seaweed emulsion

[@aussieallrounder6018]

@@loveofdirt Thanks mate

[@tiller_gorilla7220]

Add ash from a fire pit or fire place for the compost bed from landscape place and get a block of coir add a heap of dried leaves tarp it and and turn every 2-3 weeks.thank me later

[@loveofdirt]

I have been adding ash from our fire pit here. Will totally try adding coir, thank you!

[@tiller_gorilla7220]

@@loveofdirt if you or your friends cook on charcoal use that ash as well

[@kiraakers7796]

Where do you get your seed from 🎉

[@loveofdirt]

These ones are mine, link in description.

[@WellOkaythen.]

Do you mind letting me know how cold your nights are currently, just want to see how it matches up for me, nights still seem way to cold to put a lot of this in. Especially with my teeny tiny greenhouse.

[@loveofdirt]

Around 11.

[@WellOkaythen.]

@@loveofdirt that explains it, we're still at around 5 and even had some negatives during last week's cold snap. Must be because we're closer to Toowoomba.

[@loveofdirt]

Yeah wait a bit. Seed packs should have soil temperature ranges as well so you could stick a compost thermometer into your garden and see what it’s sitting at.

[@melw3518]

Do you manufacture the seeds yourself or are you a reseller?

[@loveofdirt]

It’s a mix, some are mine that I’ve saved, some I get in. I don’t get frosts so can’t get certain varieties to go to seed.

[@maryjensen1888]

🌱Where can we buy the ''Bernies? Bernese?" garden bed? please🌱

[@loveofdirt]

They have Birdies garden beds at Bunnings or online.

[@jarreddelfos641]

What’s the seed company??

[@loveofdirt]

Mine. Link in profile.

[@jasonwyman5096]

i use myco gold on my chillys 6 plants 10kg chillys in 2020

[@loveofdirt]

Oh wow! What did you do with them all?

[@rho1360]

Does anybody have any tips for dealing with the dreaded QFF!

[@loveofdirt]

Check out my video on preparing the onslaught of bugs - it has my fruit fly tips.

[@rho1360]

@loveofdirt very informative thanks. Annoying they banned the thing that works, I'll persevere though.

[@denisebrady6858]

Denise from Geebung , Northside Brisbane here & newbie to your channel. Great Video & I am doing very similar to you but all raised beds & I follow Charles Dowding No Dig method with great success. Cheers Denise

[@loveofdirt]

We used to live in Geebung :)

[@denisebrady6858]

@@loveofdirt Oh Wow what street please as we are in Bateman Str just off Ellison Road.

[@loveofdirt]

We were in Sunbury