October marks the start of the Noongar season of Kambarang in Boorloo / Perth. It’s an exciting time for gardeners, growers and nature lovers. We see the return of the hot weather and continue to enjoy an explosion of colourful wildflowers. Keep an eye out for banksias, kangaroo paws and orchids. Towards the end of Kambarang, the moojar or Australian Christmas Tree will put on a stunning display of gold.

In the veggie garden, we also see a lovely burst of colour, plant growth and pollinator activity. As the weather warms, it’s the perfect time to get your summer crops in the ground. 

With the intense summer heat not yet in full swing, Kambarang is also a good time to think ahead and get your garden ready for the hotter days.

Check out our Perth planting guide for October and November below. Read on for some essential garden tasks this time of year!

Perth Planting Guide for October and November

With soil temperatures warming up, there’s plenty to sow in your veggie garden this time of year.

Plant your summer favourites like tomatoes, capsicum, chilli and eggplant. Also get your cucurbits started (cucumbers, melons, zucchinis and pumpkins).

Many varieties of WA seed potato will do well this time of year in WA. 

Sow some colour with sunflowers, Swan River daisies, marigold and zinnia. Now is also a great time for sowing Mediterranean herbs like basil, sage and oregano. 

When growing from seed, we recommend heirloom or open pollinated seeds from WA suppliers because they are better adapted to our climate, of the highest quality. Heirloom seeds will grow true to type in the next generation, which means you can save your seeds to grow next season. 

Shop Kambarang seasonal seed packs at Urban Revolution.

Perth Garden Tasks for October and November

Prepare Your Soil for Planting

Ensure your soil is happy and healthy before planting out any new crops. Mix in some good quality compost or aged manure. Sprinkle on some rock dust to ensure there’s trace minerals and nutrients in the soil that your plants can take up. If your soil is looking very sandy and unable to retain moisture, try adding some clay.

Also read: How to Grow on Sandy Soil

Sow Summer Crops

Learn how to grow your favourite crops with our specific growing guides:

• How to Grow Abundant Tomatoes

• Plant Feature: Chilli and Capsicum

• Complete Guide to Growing Cucumber

• How to Grow Watermelons

Practice Succession Planting

Succession planting helps us stagger out our growing and avoid a sudden glut of any one crop. Homegrown tomatoes are fantastic, but we don’t want them all ripening at once! 

Instead of sowing all your seeds at once, sow some then wait a couple of weeks and sow some more. Keep sowing little bits at a time and that way you’ll have plants at different stages of growth throughout the season. 

Thin Out Fruit on Fruit Trees

If your fruit trees are putting out lots and lots of baby fruit, pinch some of them off to help the tree concentrate energy on growing bigger, healthier fruits. Fruit thinning can help you get bigger, happier fruit rather than lots of small, poor quality fruit. Also pinch off fruit that’s growing on the tip of branches and likely to put strain on the branch as they grow heavier.

Top Up Mulch

As the weather warms, it’s a good idea to top up your garden beds with a thick layer of mulch. This will help regulate soil temperatures, protect soil life and maintain moisture more effectively. 

An excellent local WA mulch from NutraRich that will not only keep moisture in, but also add nutrients to feed your plants.

Happy Growing in Kambarang!

If you need any advice or tips about gardening in Perth during spring, visit us at Urban Revolution in-store or online. We have a wide range of seeds, tools, soil health inputs, natural pest control solutions and more.

Wishing you a cheerful and colourful Kambarang!

PS. If you’re looking for some seasonal inspiration for your home, garden and community, we’d love to recommend this Spring Issue Bundle of Pip Magazine. These uplifting magazines are full of practical ideas for anyone interested in sustainable, connected living.