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What To Plant On The Gold Coast During Any Season
When is the best time of year to plant on the Gold Coast? Why aren’t my plants growing in winter? Should I fertilise in spring? These are just a few of the questions you and gardeners all over the Gold Coast are asking. The seasonal climatic conditions are always changing, which means we must adapt.
Fortunately for you, we’ve made gardening a simple science. Our easy-to-follow Gold Coast seasonal gardening guide tells you exactly what to plant and when to do it!
Check out our Gold Coast seasonal gardening guides:
Summer Gardening on the Gold Coast
Summer is when your garden is at its most active—everything just grows! Any free time you have should be spent mowing, snipping, hedging, pruning and weeding. Be sure to keep on top of your garden maintenance to avoid things getting out of hand—especially if there’s been a bit of rain around.
Despite summer being the wet season on the Gold Coast, this doesn’t always guarantee rain! As the temperatures sore in the 30s, just a few days without any water and your garden will begin to suffer. Check the forecast at the beginning of the week and be sure you’re watering your garden whenever there’s no rain around. Remember to always water in the morning so your garden has a chance to dry.
Hot and wet conditions are a petri dish for harmful garden pests and diseases. You need to be proactive, inspect your garden and try catching any unwanted invaders in the early stages. Not sure what to look for? Call Edmund on 0431 887 544 or check out our Gold Coast garden pest guide and garden disease guide.
Summer equals storm season on the Gold Coast. To prevent any storm-related damage or flash flooding, be sure to clean out your gutters, drains and remove any possible projectiles from your backyard.
What to Plant In Summer
🌱 Vegetables & Herbs
These thrive in the warmth and long daylight hours:
Sweet Corn – loves the heat and grows quickly.
Cucumbers – fast growers with high yields.
Zucchini & Squash – productive and perfect for summer dishes.
Tomatoes – cherry varieties tend to do better in humid conditions.
Capsicum (Bell Peppers) – handle the heat well with regular water.
Chillies – love the sun and don’t mind humidity.
Basil – perfect pairing with tomatoes and loves the warmth.
Mint & Coriander – plant in part-shade, as full sun can stress them.
💡 Pro tip: Water early morning and mulch well to retain moisture and suppress weeds.
🌸 Flowers
Add vibrant colour that survives the Queensland heat:
✅ Top Picks:
Zinnias – tough, bright annuals that thrive in heat.
Marigolds – great for pest control and love full sun.
Sunflowers – dramatic and fun to grow; perfect for kids too.
Portulaca (Pigface) – super drought-tolerant groundcover.
Petunias – ideal for pots and hanging baskets.
🌿 Natives & Shrubs
Great for wildlife, low maintenance, and drought-tolerant:
✅ Go-To Natives:
Grevillea – attracts birds and flowers year-round.
Callistemon (Bottlebrush) – tough and colourful.
Lomandra – great structural grass, low water needs.
Kangaroo Paw – unique flowers and well-suited to sandy soils.
🍉 Fruits (long-term planting)
Summer is a great time to establish tropical fruits:
Passionfruit – fast-growing vines, but ensure good drainage.
Banana – needs space but thrives in Gold Coast heat.
Papaya (Pawpaw) – grows quickly from seed.
Dragon Fruit (Pitaya) – funky, drought-tolerant cactus vine.
If you’re planting for pollinators or biodiversity, consider native flowering shrubs and herbs together to build a resilient garden that supports bees and butterflies.
☀️ SUMMER PLANTING CALENDAR (Gold Coast)
| Plant | December | January | February |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sweet Corn | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Cucumbers | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Zucchini | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Tomatoes (cherry types) | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Capsicum | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Chillies | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Basil | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Mint (part shade) | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Coriander (part shade) | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Pumpkin | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Eggplant | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Rockmelon & Watermelon | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Okra | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Sunflowers | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Marigolds | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Zinnias | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Portulaca (Pigface) | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Petunias | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Grevillea (native) | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Callistemon (Bottlebrush) | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Lomandra (native grass) | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Kangaroo Paw | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Passionfruit | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Banana | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Papaya (Pawpaw) | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Dragon Fruit | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Summer gardening in a snapshot
- Mowing
- Hedging
- Pruning
- Keep on top of pests
- Weeding
- Snipping
- Water the garden in the morning
- Keep gutters clear
Once the weather begins to cool, it’s time to start getting stuck into your garden. Whether you prefer cool-season vegetables, annual flowers, trees, shrubs or perennials, autumn is the perfect time of the year to get planting on the Gold Coast. Not only are cooler temperatures more pleasant for you as a gardener, the mild conditions will give your plants time to establish—before the slowed growth that comes with the winter period.
As the leaves begin to fall, this typically marks the end of flowering season for most plants. This is usually a good time to begin pruning if your want your shrubs, hedges, plants and trees to be more dense and compact come next year.
Tired of raking and bagging fallen leaves? Just leave them! Fallen leaves will break down before you know it. Any organic matter added to your garden will only increase the nutrient content and make your garden healthier. Just rake any leaves that are ruining your backyard aesthetically.
What to Plant In Summer
Autumn on the Gold Coast is one of the best times to plant! The intense summer heat eases, but the soil is still warm—perfect conditions for strong root development before winter.
Here’s your Gold Coast Autumn Planting Guide:
🌱 Vegetables & Herbs
Autumn is great for leafy greens, root crops, and cool-season herbs.
✅ Best Choices:
Lettuce – quick to grow, ideal for staggered planting.
Spinach & Silverbeet – hardy and productive.
Broccoli – plant seedlings now for winter harvest.
Cauliflower – needs steady watering and mulch.
Carrots – sow direct into soft soil.
Beetroot – loves cooler nights.
Garlic – plant in late autumn (March–May).
Parsley – thrives through the cooler months.
Thyme, Oregano & Sage – perfect for autumn planting.
💡 Pro tip: Start broccoli and cauliflower from seedlings to avoid pest issues early on.
🌸 Flowers
Add some autumn colour and prepare for a stunning winter bloom.
✅ Great Picks:
Pansies & Violas – cheerful colour and frost-tolerant.
Snapdragons – tall and striking.
Alyssum – excellent groundcover, bee-friendly.
Calendula – bright, edible, and self-seeding.
Primulas & Petunias – love the gentle warmth of early autumn.
🌿 Native Plants & Shrubs
This is a great time to establish natives thanks to milder temps and reliable rainfall.
✅ Recommended Natives:
Westringia (Native Rosemary) – hardy shrub, great for hedging.
Callistemon (Bottlebrush) – still thrives in cooler months.
Hardenbergia – fast-growing climber with purple flowers.
Banksia – iconic and bird-attracting.
🍓 Fruits & Long-Term Planting
You can get a head start on next season’s fruit by planting now:
Strawberries – plant runners mid-to-late autumn for spring fruit.
Blueberries – prefer slightly acidic soil.
Citrus trees (lemons, limes, oranges) – perfect time to plant.
Avocados – establish well in autumn warmth.
Feijoas – drought-hardy and unique fruit.
✅ Autumn Gardening Tips
🍂 Mulch well – retains warmth and moisture as nights cool down
🌱 Use seaweed tonic – helps with transplant shock and root growth
📆 Stagger sowings – ensures continuous harvests
🐌 Watch for pests – snails and aphids become active again
🍂 AUTUMN PLANTING CALENDAR
Gold Coast, QLD – Subtropical Zone
📅 Best planting months: March – May
| Plant | March | April | May |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lettuce | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Spinach | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Silverbeet | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Broccoli | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Cauliflower | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Carrots | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Beetroot | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Garlic | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Parsley, Thyme, Oregano, Sage | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Pansies | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Violas | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Snapdragons | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Alyssum | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Calendula | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Primulas, Petunias | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Westringia | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Bottlebrush | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Hardenbergia | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Strawberries (runners) | ✅ | ✅ | – |
| Blueberries | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Citrus trees (lemons, oranges) | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Avocados | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Feijoas | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Autumn Gardening in a snapshot
- Pruning
- Raking up leaves - or leave them to mulch down
- Planting vegetables
- Planting flowers
Winter is really a nothing period for your garden. All the hard work has been done and it’s time to just appreciate your garden for what it is (if the weather allows).
If you’re still keen to make improvements to your backyard, we suggest completing some of the more physically demanding jobs.
Winter is also a great time to step away from the garden, cosy up indoors and start planning your moves for next year. Draw up some designs and get a list going of the type of plants you want to starting including in your garden.
While you won’t notice much growth with the plants in your garden, cool-season weeds will still continue to develop. Be sure to brave the cooler weather and remove these form time to time.
Also, be sure to take a walk around your garden and prune any dead or dying branches and flowers.
What To Plant In Winter
Winter on the Gold Coast is mild and ideal for growing cool-season crops and hardy flowers. The subtropical climate means no frost, so you can still plant a wide range of vegetables, herbs, flowers, and natives.
Here’s your Gold Coast Winter Planting Guide:
🌱 Vegetables & Herbs
Winter is perfect for leafy greens, root vegetables, and flavourful herbs.
✅ Best Choices:
Lettuce – prefers full sun in winter.
Spinach & Silverbeet – steady growth and reliable yields.
Kale – sweeter leaves when grown in cooler temps.
Broccoli & Cauliflower – slow but rewarding winter crops.
Carrots & Beetroot – great for winter sowing.
Garlic – still time to plant early in winter.
Onions & Leeks – long growing season, start now!
Parsley, Coriander & Dill – cooler temps prevent bolting.
💡 Pro tip: Water in the mornings to reduce risk of fungal disease.
🌸 Flowers
Winter brings the blooms! Many flowers flourish in Gold Coast’s mild winters.
✅ Great Picks:
Pansies & Violas – winter favourites, bright colours.
Snapdragons – bold colours, bees love them.
Sweet Peas – plant now for a fragrant late-winter display.
Primulas & Petunias – hardy, low maintenance.
Stock – tall, perfumed blooms ideal for garden beds.
🌿 Native Plants & Shrubs
Winter is a fantastic time to establish new native plants.
✅ Recommended Natives:
Grevillea – flowers throughout winter, attracts birds.
Callistemon (Bottlebrush) – tough and showy.
Lomandra – easy care ornamental grass.
Banksia – iconic and thriving in well-drained soil.
🍓 Fruits & Fruiting Plants
Plant now for future harvests:
Strawberries – runners will fruit through spring.
Raspberries & Blueberries – enjoy cool-season growth.
Citrus (lemons, limes, oranges) – still time to plant.
Passionfruit – plant now for summer production.
✅ Winter Gardening Tips
🌞 Choose full sun – winter light is less intense
🧼 Clean up – remove old mulch and spent plants to reduce disease
🌿 Feed lightly – use low-nitrogen fertiliser to support root growth
🌼 Plant bold winter bloomers – create colour during the cooler months
❄️ WINTER PLANTING CALENDAR (Gold Coast)
| Plant | June | July | August |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lettuce | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Spinach | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Silverbeet | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Kale | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Broccoli | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Cauliflower | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Carrots | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Beetroot | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Garlic | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Onions | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Leeks | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Parsley | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Coriander | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Dill | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Pansies | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Violas | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Snapdragons | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Sweet Peas | ✅ | ✅ | |
| Primulas | ✅ | ✅ | |
| Stock | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Grevillea (native) | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Bottlebrush (native) | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Lomandra (native) | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Banksia (native) | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Strawberries (runners) | ✅ | ✅ | |
| Blueberries | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Citrus trees (lemons, limes) | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Passionfruit | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Winter Gardening in a snapshot
- Prepare new garden beds
- Remove unwanted trees and shrubs
- Repair retaining walls and fencing
- Start planning next years garden
Ahh spring… Finally Gold Coast gardeners can rejoice and take pride in the beauty of their creations.
Unfortunately, on the Gold Coast, spring is one of the driest times of the year—which can spoil spring flowering. This means if you want your garden to blossom and new growth to flourish, you will need to get the watering can out of the garden shed.
Along with constant watering, spring is a good time to fertilise your entire garden. All this new growth (stimulated by the warmer weather) will be fighting for nutrients, so it’s important that you give your plants what they want. Just remember to always water in your fertiliser!
If you want to prolong flowering, pruning of the dead or dying flowers is necessary.
As your garden continues to fill with life and summer starts to rear its head, it’s important that you start getting on top of your garden maintenance duties including lawn mowing, snipping, weeding and in particular pruning.
What To Plant In Spring
Spring on the Gold Coast is a time of rapid growth, flowering, and preparing for the summer heat. The subtropical climate means your soil is warming up, daylight is increasing, and it’s prime time for planting almost anything!
Here’s your Gold Coast Spring Planting Guide 🌼
🌱 Vegetables & Herbs
Spring is the launchpad for summer crops. Get them in early for strong yields.
✅ Best Choices:
Tomatoes – plant now for summer harvest.
Zucchini & Squash – fast growers, love warm soil.
Cucumber – train up a trellis for airflow.
Pumpkin & Melon – give them room to sprawl.
Beans (climbing & bush) – plant every 2 weeks for a constant supply.
Sweet Corn – sow in blocks to ensure good pollination.
Lettuce – grow in partial shade to avoid bolting.
Carrots & Beetroot – root crops love loose soil.
Chillies & Capsicum – great heat-lovers to plant now.
Basil, Coriander, Parsley, Dill – fresh herbs thrive now.
💡 Pro tip: Add compost and mulch early to prep for summer water savings.
🌸 Flowers
Bring bees and colour into your garden with these spring bloomers:
✅ Top Picks:
Sunflowers – striking and perfect for pollinators.
Zinnias – hardy and vibrant.
Petunias – flowering machine, great for borders.
Snapdragons – tall and colourful.
Marigolds – great companion plant; repels pests.
Cosmos & Nasturtiums – edible flowers that love spring sun.
🌿 Native Plants
Get natives in the ground now while the soil is moist and the weather is mild:
Grevillea – flowering and bird-attracting.
Callistemon (Bottlebrush) – excellent for bees.
Hardenbergia – spring flowering climber.
Lilly Pilly – great for hedging or screening.
🍓 Fruits & Fruiting Plants
Now’s the time to plant for summer rewards:
Tomatoes, Capsicum, Chillies – fruit through summer.
Strawberries – enjoy final plantings before summer.
Passionfruit – plant now to establish before heat.
Papaya & Banana – warm-weather fruits love spring starts.
Citrus trees – great time to establish in warmer soils.
✅ Spring Gardening Tips
🐛 Watch for pests – warm weather means aphids & caterpillars return
🌾 Mulch well – prevents early summer soil drying
☀️ Full sun is king – give plants 6+ hours daily
🌧️ Feed plants – use a balanced slow-release fertiliser to support growth
🌼 SPRING PLANTING CALENDAR (Gold Coast)
| Plant | September | October | November |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomatoes | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Zucchini & Squash | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Cucumber | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Pumpkin | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Rockmelon & Watermelon | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Sweet Corn | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Beans (Bush & Climbing) | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Capsicum | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Chillies | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Carrots | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Beetroot | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Lettuce | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Basil | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Parsley | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Coriander | ✅ | ✅ | – |
| Dill | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Sunflowers | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Zinnias | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Marigolds | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Petunias | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Snapdragons | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Nasturtiums | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Grevillea | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Callistemon (Bottlebrush) | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Hardenbergia | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Lilly Pilly | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Strawberries | ✅ | ✅ | – |
| Passionfruit | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Papaya (Pawpaw) | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Banana | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Dragon Fruit | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Citrus (lemons, limes, oranges) | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Spring Gardening in a snapshot
- Water
- Fertilise
- Garden maintenance
- Prune dead/dying flowers
- Planting of summer vegetables
- Pruning
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NEED HELP DECIDING WHAT TO PLANT ON THE GOLD COAST?
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Some things thriving while others die?
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Edmund has decades of experience as a gardener and landscaper, let him give you the advice you need to bring your garden to its best. Use the form on this page to send him a message. Or click the button below to call him.
