Herbs
Lavender
Culinary flower spikes to cut as the first florets open.
Sowing & planting windows in Australia
Planting timing varies by broad Australian gardening zone. Local weather, unusual seasons and your garden’s microclimate can shift timing.
Cool
Sow · Jan-Feb,Sep-Dec
Core months: January, February, September, October, November, December
Temperate
Sow · Jan-Feb,Sep-Dec
Core months: January, February, September, October, November, December
Subtropical
Sow · Jan-Feb,Aug-Dec
Core months: January, February, August, September, October, November, December
Tropical
Sow · Apr-Jun
Core months: April, May, June
Arid
Sow · Apr-Sep
Core months: April, May, June, July, August, September
Getting started
Sow seed in the recorded five-zone window. Use clean seed and follow the packet's depth and spacing for the named species or cultivar.
The right conditions
Choose a position with good light, fertile free-draining soil and protection from harsh heat; provide winter chill where the crop requires it.
As it grows
Water consistently while establishing, mulch without burying the crown or stem, manage weeds early and provide support where the mature habit needs it.
Ready to harvest
Cut culinary flower spikes as the first florets open, on a dry morning after dew has lifted.
Important cautions
Use culinary lavender cultivars and unsprayed flowers only; ornamental nursery plants may have been treated with chemicals not intended for food crops.
Related how-to guides
Prune rosemary, sage and other woody herbs gently
Check how the herb grows and where green leafy shoots remain.
Plant guidance: P11a propagation, food-safety and plant-specific guide audit. Planting windows are a guide rather than a rule.