Australia Wide Shipping - Free shipping on orders over $200* and over $90 for our Local Legends*

Australia Wide Shipping - Free shipping on orders over $200* and over $90 for our Local Legends*

More info!

Search Here

This section doesn’t currently include any content. Add content to this section using the sidebar.

Image caption appears here

Add your deal, information or promotional text

October Grow Your Own: Seeds To Sow Now and How To Use A Seedling Flat

  • 5 min read

We are commencing the 2nd month of the Spring season. In Perth and the South West region we are at the start of the Noongar season called Kamarang.  

This season has a definite warming trend accompanied by longer dry periods and fewer cold fronts crossing the coast. We are in the height of the wildflower season!

This is a peak time of the year to get many vegetable, fruit and herb seeds germinating in mediterranean and temperate regions of Australia.

We have compiled a planting list of some of the common seeds to sow in October in this region including germination and harvesting times followed by a fabulous method of growing healthy and strong seedlings from seed. 

Seeds to Sow Now

Plant

How to Sow

Germination Time

Time Until Harvest

Other Tips

Amaranth

Sow directly into garden bed Sept-Mar

8-10 days

26 weeks

Grow in fertile, well drained soil

Basil

Sow into a seedling flat as soon as night time temperature is above 10degC in September

5-15 days

10-12 weeks

Pinch off growth and flowers to encourage bushy growth. Plant near tomatoes to improve growth and flavour

Dwarf Beans

Sow directly into the garden Aug-Feb or transplant in biodegradable pots. Needs warm soil

7-13 days

8-12 weeks

Plant near celery or cucumber

Beetroot

Sow directly into the garden or in seedling flats at any time

7-14 days

10-12 weeks

Add leaves as a sweet addition to salads

Borage

Sow directly into garden Sept-Nov and only lightly sprinkle with soil. Biennial plant

5-10 days

Harvest leaves and flowers as needed

Attracts beneficial insects & bees. Plant with tomatoes, squash, and strawberries

Burdock

Sow directly into garden Sept-Apr

4-7 days

17-18 weeks

Cook young leaves like spinach and harvest root when young

Capsicum

Best sown in a seedling flat in warm weather Sept-Nov

7-14 days

10-16 weeks

Keep well watered when fruiting

Carrot

Sow directly into the garden Aug-May and only lightly sprinkle with soil as they need light to germinate

14-21 days

12-16 weeks

Water seedlings well

Celery

Best sown in a seedling flat and then transplant into garden

10-21 days

12-18 weeks

Plant near dill but away from beans and tomatoes

Chillies

Sow in a seedling flat or tray and plant out in 6 weeks.

7-14 days

2-5 months

Semi-perennial plants

Corn

Sow close 20-30cm apart to enhance pollination

6-10 days

11-14 weeks

Grow with beans and pumpkin - (the three sisters). Don't over water seeds after first water

Cucumber

Sow directly into garden when weather gets warm Sept-Mar or transplant in biodegradable pots. Cover with soil

5-10 days

8-12 weeks

Increase watering when fruiting. Beware of mould if overwatered or high levels of humidity

Dill

Sow directly into the garden Sept-Nov

7-15 days

8-12 weeks

Plant near celery buy away from beans and tomatoes. Fabulous IPM plant

Eggplant

Best sown in a seedling flat Sept-Nov and lightly sprinkle with soil

7-14 days

16-18 weeks

Loves the heat

Endive

Sow directly into the garden Aug-Nov

10-14 days

8-12 weeks

Salad vegetable with peppery taste

Jerusalem Artichoke

Sow directly into garden bed

5-10 days

15-20 weeks

Produces many tubers, easy to grow and can handle many soil types

Lettuce

Sow into seedling flats all year

4-14 days

6-12 weeks

Pick Cos lettuce leaves as growing. Transplant into part shade in summer.

Lemon Balm

Sow directly into the garden Oct-Nov

12-21 days

8-10 weeks

Great as a culinary herb and for Integrated Pest Management

Melons

Sow directly into garden bed Sept-Feb

7-14 days

14-16 weeks

Needs warm weather.

Okra

Sow directly into garden bed Oct to Nov and transplant into garden bed Dec to Jan

8-13 days

11-14 weeks

Grow with capsicum, chilli and eggplant. Pick pods while young. Edible flowers.

Pumpkin & Squash

Sow directly into garden Aug-Oct

6-10 days

14-16 weeks

Need lots of space. Good companion with corn

Tomatoes

Sow in a seedling flat or directly into a garden bed Nov -Dec

7-14 days

12-20 weeks

Plant near Basil and Marigolds for integrated pest management. Allow good airflow to reduce disease potential

Zucchini

Sow direct into a garden beds Sept to Nov.

5-10 days

8-14 weeks

Avoid watering on leaves as this can increase mould, which reduces fruiting

 

How to Sow Seeds using a Seedling Flat

Seedling flats or trays are a fabulous way to germinate seeds, grow healthy seedlings and to use for succession planting to extend the harvest.

They allow your plants to start out and thrive in a protected, nutritious, and microbe-rich soil to produce strong seedlings that are more likely to succeed.

A range of different seed types can be sown into the one flat. Ideally you plant what you want to grow for the season in one or as many flats as you need.

Flats allow you to easily move your seeds into environments that are not too cold or hot as conditions change and in sight to ensure they are kept moist.

The seedlings will not fully mature in the seedling flat - they are a tool for nurturing young seedlings to a size ready for plant out into garden beds or containers.

Seed Sowing Method

     Urban Revolution Seedling Flat Seed Sowing   
  1. Make a list of the seeds you have and want to grow for the season
  2. Write the name of each seed you are going to sow on a label eg. a pop stick.
  3. Fill your seedling flat with quality, seed raising soil (such as Bioactive Cocopeat) that is full of life and diverse inputs to provide plants with what they need to grow strong and fight disease and pests. It needs to be a light, well drained soil as seeds need air and moisture to germinate.  We can guide you to create your own compost and seed raising mix.
  4. If using, place a seed template on the edge of the flat. Our seed template creates an equidistant planting guide using a hexagonal shape.  It is not a necessity and you can ensure each seedling will have enough space by eye or other measuring methods.
  5. Place the labels to identify the seeds being planted in each row or in each flat.
  6. Use a seed dibber or pointy object to make shallow furrows or evenly-spaced indents to the depth needed for each seed.  Seed sowing depth guidelines are; fine seeds are sown on the soil surface, sow other seeds 3 x the diameter of the seed and if oblong between 1 to 3 times the length of the seed.
  7. If using, remove the template and gently put each seed to bed by filling the furrow or hole and gently pressing down the soil surface over the seeds.
  8. Moisten the soil with a misting nozzle or misting bottle. Germinating seeds need constant moisture and will not germinate if they dry out.

    Succession Planting

    When seedlings have grown to a decent size (approx. 10 - 20cm) transplant the seedlings using a transplanter trowel into your garden where they will grow to maturity

         

    Seedling flats are a great tool for succession planting where you purposefully transplant the same type of seedling into the garden a week or so apart so that they will mature and be ready for harvesting one after the other, this reduces the glut and increases the harvesting period.

    Other Uses and Benefits

    Using wooden seedling flats to grow your garden from seeds is a zero-waste way to garden!

    It allows us to avoid buying stacks of single-use plastic punnets and pots that often head straight to landfill. It feels amazing being able to grow our gardens consciously without detriment to the Earth. The flats are also compostable at the end of their life.

    Furthermore, flats are great to grow microgreens in, they are handy for travellers and those on the move, they will last for many years and weather gracefully.

    Our seedling flats are made by the Vic Park Mens Shed and Rippa Woodturning. 

    Wishing you lots of happy sowing success and bumper crops!! 🌻

    Leave a comment (all fields required)

    Comments will be approved before showing up.