Renewal, Colour & Growth

Plant Now for Colour in Your Tasmanian Garden

October planting is the perfect time to add vibrant spring and summer flowers to your garden. By planting now, your Tasmanian garden will burst into colour, fragrance, and life throughout the season.

Best Flowers to Plant in October

• Petunias, Marigolds, Alyssum, Dianthus, Cosmos, Salvias, Snapdragons, Sunflowers – ideal for garden beds or containers
• Tulips and Daffodils – flowering bulbs that brighten pots and can be planted in the garden for years of enjoyment
• Calendulas, Dahlias, Lilies – establish now for spectacular summer blooms.

Add Native Plants for Colour and Wildlife

• Silver Banksia (Banksia marginata) – hardy native tree
• Tasmanian Waratah (Telopea truncata) – stunning seasonal flowers
• Native violets (Viola hederacea) – perfect groundcover

Mixing natives with annuals and bulbs adds texture, colour, and supports local pollinators and wildlife.

Pollinators & Practical Care

Every gardener should consider pollinators when planning their planting. Bees love blue, purple, and yellow blooms, making perennials such as Salvia, Lavender, and colourful Osteospermums perfect choices. Sunflowers can be sown now and make fantastic fodder for pollinator populations.

Herb gardens are havens for both gardeners and bees. Use Borage, Sage, and Thyme in the kitchen, then let them flower for the pollinators. Native plants like Correa, Callistemon, Kunzea, Hakea, Wattle, Eucalypts, Grevillea and many more are also excellent for foraging bees.

It’s worth thinking ahead when you’re planting in spring - bees need food year-round, not just when everything’s bursting into bloom. Popping in a few winter-flowering plants now means you’ll have colour in the garden and the bees will still have something to forage when the colder months roll around. Camellias, Hellebores, Grevilleas and Correas are all great options.

Your plants aren’t the only ones enjoying the warmer days - so are weeds! Stay on top of them now by setting aside time each week for weeding. Apply a generous layer of mulch to help suppress weeds and enrich your soil as it breaks down. At Stoneman’s, we stock a great range of mulches to suit every garden.

Keep an eye out for snails and slugs too, as herbaceous perennials push up their tender new shoots. Protect them early to avoid disappointment.

Lawn Time

Lawns are the ultimate living carpet, and spring’s warmer days and longer light hours are their green light to thrive. October is the perfect month to:

• Control weeds
• Top dress and feed with a premium lawn fertiliser
• Raise mower blades for stronger, deeper roots

These simple steps will have your lawn looking lush now and prepare it for the hot summer months ahead.

The Edible Garden

Spring is a season of abundance in the veggie patch. Whether you’re planting fruit trees, berries, herbs, or vegetables, there’s so much to get excited about right now. At Stoneman’s, we’ve got everything you need to get started.

A successful garden starts with healthy soil. Adding organic matter is key—it nurtures beneficial bacteria and creates a thriving ecosystem so your plants can flourish. We recommend using Gardener’s Friend Compost, Moo Poo, and a sprinkle of Blood & Bone to enrich your soil.

Once your soil is ready, it’s time to plant:

• Cool-season crops: Lettuce, beetroot, kale, carrots, spinach, silverbeet, spring onions, peas, and beans.
• Warm-season crops (as the weather warms): Tomatoes, zucchini, pumpkin, sweet corn, sweet potato, capsicum, and chillies.
• Mulch & feed: Use sugar cane mulch or pea straw to retain moisture, then water and liquid feed regularly to keep plants thriving.

What to Plant This Month

In the garden:
Now’s the perfect time to plant potatoes, globe artichokes, chillies, seedlings of cabbage, cauliflower, celery, broccoli, leeks, lettuce, Asian greens, and spring onions can also go in now. Don’t forget asparagus crowns, rhubarb divisions, and berry plants like strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries - they’ll reward you with fresh fruit for months to come.

And don’t forget herbs! Parsley, coriander, thyme, rosemary, and sweet basil (perfect alongside your homegrown tomatoes) all do well this time of year.

Sow seed:
Carrots, beetroot, parsnip, silverbeet, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, lettuce, spring and salad onions, leeks, late peas, tomatoes, zucchini, pumpkin, squash, and sweetcorn. Radishes and turnips are also quick, easy options for the cooler soil.

Greenhouse (or later in the month outdoors):
Start seedlings of tomatoes, zucchini, pumpkin, squash, bush and climbing beans, and sweetcorn in a greenhouse now - or wait until the end of the month to plant outdoors. Cucumbers, melons, and capsicums can also be started under cover for a head start on summer crops.

Easy wins for beginners:
If you’re just starting out, go for fast-growing, low-maintenance crops like lettuce, radishes, spring onions, cherry tomatoes, and strawberries. They’re forgiving, quick to harvest, and a great confidence boost for new gardeners!



Tomato Time

Nothing says spring like planting tomatoes! In Tasmania, mid-spring through summer offers the best growing conditions. Tomatoes grow fast and fruit quickly once the weather warms. Seedling punnets are perfect for mass planting, while single pots let you mix and match different varieties.

Tassie weather can be challenging at the best of times, and there are a few key things to consider when growing tomato plants here. In line with local tradition, many gardeners wait until after Show Day to plant their tomatoes. Read our Tomato Time blog to discover our top tips on producing a bumper crop.

Pest Watch: Codling Moth

Apple and pear growers, keep an eye on your trees. When around 10% of flowers remain, it’s time to act against Codling Moth. For best results, spray with Success three times at two-week intervals, and set Codling Moth Traps in your trees. This combined approach is the most effective way to reduce damage. Visit us in-store or check out our detailed blog online for more advice.



Water Gardens

Water features add a soothing, calming touch to any garden, creating a peaceful spot to relax or entertain. As the weather warms and water temperatures rise, ponds and water gardens are starting to come alive again after winter. Now is the perfect time to refresh your aquatic space with fresh seasonal water plants—we have a fantastic range of aquatic plants available to bring life and beauty to your outdoor oasis.

Some great options for Tasmanian gardens include:

• Water lilies – classic and elegant, floating beautifully on the surface while providing shade and shelter for aquatic life.
• Lotus – striking flowers and large leaves add a bold statement to any pond.
• Floating plants like Water Hyacinth or Water Lettuce – add movement, shade, and help keep the water clear.
• Marginal plants such as Corkscrew Rush, Cumbungi, Iris, and Pickerel Rush – thrive at the edges, filtering water and providing habitat for frogs and insects.
• Submerged oxygenators like Hornwort or Elodea – help keep the water healthy and oxygen-rich for fish.

These plants don’t just enhance the beauty of your pond - they create a balanced ecosystem, providing shelter for fish and insects while keeping your water feature thriving all season long.





October is all about fresh beginnings and getting your garden ready to shine. It’s the perfect time to plant new seedlings, sow seeds, enrich your soil, and feed your existing plants. By putting in the work now, you’re setting the stage for a garden that will reward you with vibrant colour, delightful fragrance, and delicious flavours throughout the season. From blooming flowers to fresh herbs and homegrown veggies, everything you plant this month will flourish as the days grow longer and warmer, creating a garden full of life, energy, and beauty.