Spring Is Here: What to Plant Now in Australia
Spring Is Here: What to Plant Now in Australia
Spring is one of the best times of year to restart the garden, refresh your growing space and get serious about growing fresh food at home.
The days are getting longer, temperatures are rising, and gardens across Australia are starting to wake up again. Whether you have a backyard, balcony, courtyard, school garden, raised garden bed, greenhouse or indoor growing setup, spring gives you one of the strongest planting windows of the year.
But here is the mistake many beginners make: they plant everything at once without thinking about climate, frost risk, space, light or what they will actually eat.
The best spring garden is not the biggest garden. It is the one that produces food you will use.
At Urban Green Farms, we help Australian homes, schools and growers build practical food-growing systems using seeds, raised beds, hydroponics, aquaponics, grow lights, propagation equipment and sustainable garden supplies.
So if you are wondering what to plant now in Australia, this guide will help you get started.
First: Know Your Climate Zone
Australia is a big country, and spring does not arrive the same way everywhere.
A spring planting plan in Melbourne will look different from one in Brisbane, Darwin, Perth, Hobart or regional Victoria. Some areas are already warm enough for tomatoes and cucumbers. Others may still get cold nights or late frosts.
As a simple rule:
In cooler areas, start warm-season crops in seed trays or propagation kits before transplanting them outside.
In temperate areas, start preparing beds now and plant warm-season crops once the risk of frost has passed.
In warmer areas, spring is already a strong time to plant herbs, leafy greens, cucumbers, beans, zucchini, tomatoes and other productive crops.
In tropical and subtropical areas, watch heat, humidity, pests and heavy rain as the season progresses.
If you are unsure, start with crops that are easier to grow and more forgiving.
Easy Vegetables to Plant in Spring
Spring is a great time to plant vegetables that grow quickly and produce useful harvests.
Good spring vegetable options include:
Lettuce
Rocket
Spinach
Silverbeet
Beans
Carrots
Radish
Beetroot
Cucumber
Zucchini
Tomatoes
Capsicum
Spring onion
Asian greens
If you are a beginner, start with fast-growing crops like lettuce, rocket, radish, beans and herbs. These give you quick wins and help build confidence.
If you want a bigger spring and summer harvest, start tomatoes, cucumber, zucchini and capsicum. These crops need more warmth and space, but they can be very productive when grown well.
Best Herbs to Plant Now
Herbs are one of the smartest things to grow at home because they are easy to use, expensive to buy in small quantities, and often go to waste when purchased from the supermarket.
Good spring herbs include:
Basil
Parsley
Coriander
Mint
Chives
Dill
Oregano
Thyme
Rosemary
Basil is one of the best spring herbs to start once the weather is warm enough. It grows well in pots, raised beds and hydroponic systems, and it is useful in everyday cooking.
Mint is easy to grow but should usually be kept in a pot because it can spread aggressively.
Parsley, chives and coriander are good options for families, schools and beginner growers because they are easy to harvest and use.
What to Plant If You Are Growing With Kids
If you are gardening with children, choose crops that germinate quickly, look interesting and give visible results.
Good options include:
Radish
Beans
Lettuce
Sunflowers
Cherry tomatoes
Strawberries
Basil
Rocket
Peas
Microgreens
For schools and families, the goal is engagement. Children are more likely to stay interested when they can see progress quickly.
Microgreens, radish and beans are excellent for short classroom activities. Tomatoes, lettuce, herbs and strawberries are better for longer growing projects.
What to Plant in Raised Garden Beds
Raised garden beds are ideal for spring because they give you more control over soil, drainage and planting layout.
Good raised bed crops for spring include:
Tomatoes
Lettuce
Rocket
Carrots
Radish
Beetroot
Beans
Cucumber
Zucchini
Basil
Parsley
Capsicum
Before planting, refresh the bed. Remove weeds, check drainage, top up soil if needed and add organic matter or suitable plant nutrition.
Do not wait until your seedlings are ready before preparing your garden bed. Prepare the bed first, then plant into a growing environment that is ready to support strong root development.
Urban Green Farms stocks raised garden beds, seed kits, propagation gear and soil health products to help you get your spring garden started properly.
What to Plant in Pots and Small Spaces
You do not need a big backyard to grow food in spring.
If you have a balcony, courtyard, patio or sunny windowsill, you can still grow useful crops.
Good small-space crops include:
Lettuce
Rocket
Basil
Parsley
Chives
Mint
Cherry tomatoes
Strawberries
Radish
Microgreens
For pots, choose crops that do not need too much root depth. Herbs, leafy greens and compact tomatoes are usually a good starting point.
If your space has poor sunlight, indoor grow lights can help support stronger growth and reduce weak, stretched seedlings.
What to Plant in Hydroponics This Spring
Hydroponics is one of the most practical ways to grow food at home, especially if you have limited space or want more control over water, nutrients and light.
Good spring hydroponic crops include:
Lettuce
Rocket
Basil
Mint
Parsley
Asian greens
Spinach
Strawberries
Microgreens
Hydroponics is especially strong for leafy greens and herbs because these crops grow quickly and are easy to harvest regularly.
For homes, a compact hydroponic system can sit indoors, on a balcony, in a greenhouse or in a protected growing area.
For schools, hydroponics is a strong STEM tool because students can learn about plant growth, water, nutrients, pH, light and controlled growing environments.
What to Plant in Aquaponics This Spring
Aquaponics combines fish, plants, water and beneficial bacteria into one living system.
It is a great option for schools, families and backyard growers who want a hands-on food-growing system that teaches sustainability, ecosystems and nutrient cycling.
Good spring aquaponic crops include:
Lettuce
Basil
Mint
Parsley
Rocket
Asian greens
Silverbeet
Strawberries
Selected fruiting crops in larger systems
Leafy greens and herbs are usually the easiest place to start.
For schools, aquaponics is more than a garden. It becomes a living classroom where students can observe fish, test water, monitor plant growth and learn how natural systems connect.
Start Seeds Before Transplanting
Spring is a great time to start seeds, but not every seed needs to go straight into the garden.
Seed trays and propagation kits help protect young plants while they germinate and develop stronger roots. This is especially useful for tomatoes, capsicum, cucumber and other warm-season crops.
A propagation setup can help you:
Start seeds earlier
Protect young seedlings
Improve germination
Reduce pest damage
Grow stronger plants before transplanting
Make better use of garden space
If you are growing tomatoes this spring, starting with a propagation kit can give your plants a much better foundation before they move into raised beds or larger pots.
Best Beginner Crops for Spring
If you are new to growing food, do not overcomplicate it.
Start with crops that are useful, forgiving and quick to harvest.
Best beginner spring crops:
Lettuce
Rocket
Radish
Beans
Basil
Parsley
Cherry tomatoes
Cucumber
Zucchini
These crops are popular because they are practical. They are easy to use in meals, suitable for home gardens and helpful for building confidence.
If you want a simple starting point, Urban Green Farms’ Spring Harvest Organic Seed Kit gives you a seasonal mix of useful crops for Australian home growers, schools and beginner gardeners.
Spring Planting Ideas for Schools
Spring is a strong time for schools to restart garden programs, prepare for Term 4, or build a hands-on STEM and sustainability project.
Good spring school garden activities include:
Starting seeds in propagation trays
Comparing soil growing and hydroponic growing
Growing herbs for a kitchen garden
Measuring plant growth each week
Testing soil moisture and pH
Setting up an aquaponics system
Using grow lights for indoor plant experiments
Creating a student-led sustainability project
For younger students, choose fast-growing crops like beans, radish, lettuce and microgreens.
For older students, hydroponics and aquaponics allow deeper learning around pH, nutrients, water cycles, food systems, ecosystems and environmental science.
Spring Growing Checklist
Before planting, check the basics.
Do you have enough sunlight? Is your soil ready? Do your pots or beds drain properly? Do you need seed trays or propagation equipment? Are you planting crops suited to your climate? Do you have enough space for larger plants? Do you need grow lights for indoor seedlings? Will your plants need support as they grow? Do you have plant nutrition ready?Are you planting food your household or students will actually use?
A small amount of planning now can prevent wasted seeds, weak seedlings and disappointing harvests later.
Spring is the season to start.
You do not need a huge backyard, a commercial greenhouse or years of gardening experience. You can begin with a few herbs, a seed kit, a raised garden bed, a compact hydroponic system, or a school growing project.
The best thing to plant now is something you will actually use.
Start with herbs, leafy greens and easy vegetables. Build confidence. Then expand into tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, capsicum, hydroponics or aquaponics as your growing space develops.
Urban Green Farms has everything you need to get growing this spring, including seeds, raised beds, grow lights, hydroponic systems, aquaponic kits, propagation equipment, soil health products and school growing resources.
Spring is here. Get your growing space ready and start planting now.
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