What to Plant this Month

October Planting Guide - Summer Rainfall Regions

Hot summer and cold winter with frost in some parts. Includes most of Gauteng and Limpopo Province, the Free State highveld, Mpumalanga highveld, North West and Northern Provinces, and the KZN Midlands.
Plant NameSow or Transplant
AmaranthSow Seed
Artichokes (Globe) Sow Seed
AsparagusPlant crowns
Asparagus Pea (also Winged bean) Sow Seed
BasilStart undercover in seed trays and plant out in 4-6 weeks
Beans - Bush Beans and Runner BeansSow Seed
Beetroot (also Beets) Plant out (transplant) seedlings or sow seed
Borage (also Burrage, Bugloss) Sow Seed
Burdock (also Gobo (Japanese Burdock)) Sow Seed
CabbageStart in seed trays or plant out (transplant) seedlings or sow seed
Cape Gooseberry (also Golden Berry, Inca Berry ) Sow Seed
Capsicum (also Bell peppers, Sweet peppers) Start in seed trays or plant out (transplant) seedlings or sow seed
CarrotSow Seed
CelerySow Seed
Chilli peppers (also Hot peppers) Sow Seed
Chives (also Garden chives) Sow Seed
Coriander (also Cilantro, Chinese parsley) Sow Seed
Corn Salad (also Lamb's lettuce or Mache) Sow Seed
Cowpeas (also Black eye peas, Southern peas) Sow Seed
CucumberPlant out (transplant) seedlings or sow seed
Daikon (also Japanese radish, Lo Bok) Sow Seed
Eggplant (also Aubergine) Start undercover in seed trays and plant out in 4-6 weeks
Fennel (also Bronze fennel) Sow Seed
Jerusalem Artichokes (also Sunchoke) Plant tubers
Lemon Balm (also Sweet balm, ) Sow Seed
Lettuce Plant out (transplant) seedlings
Luffa (also Loofah, plant sponge)Sow Seed
MarrowSow Seed
Mustard greens (also gai choy) Sow Seed
New Zealand Spinach Start undercover in seed trays and plant out in 4-6 weeks
Oregano (also Pot Marjoram) Sow Seed
Parsley (also curly leaf parsley or flat leaf (Italian) parsley) Sow Seed
PotatoPlant seed potatoes
Pumpkin and SquashSow Seed
RadishSow Seed
Rockmelon (also Canteloupe) Start undercover in seed trays and plant out in 4-6 weeks
Rosella (also Queensland Jam Plant, Roselle) Sow Seed
RosemarySow Seed
Sage (also Common Sage)Plant out (transplant) seedlings
Savory - Winter and Summer Savory Sow Seed
Spinach and Chard Sow Seed
Strawberries (from seeds)Sow Seed
Strawberry PlantsPlant out (transplant) seedlings
SunflowerStart in seed trays or plant out (transplant) seedlings or sow seed
Sweet corn (also maize) Sow Seed
Sweet Marjoram (also Knotted marjoram) Sow Seed
Sweet PotatoPlant Slips
ThymeSow Seed
TomatilloSow Seed
TomatoSow Seed
WatermelonSow Seed
Yacon (also Sunroot) Plant tubers
Yam/Oka (also Oca) Plant Tubers
Zucchini (also Courgette/Marrow, Summer squash) Sow Seed

October Planting Guide - Humid Sub-Tropical Regions

Warm temperate region including most of the East coast, the Garden Route, and Eastern lowveld. Typified by the humid KZN coastal region, which is very hot and humid in summer (average 18 degrees C).
Plant NameSow or Transplant
Amaranth (also Love-lies-bleeding) Sow Seed
Angelica Sow Seed
AsparagusPlant Crowns
Asparagus Pea (also Winged bean) Sow Seed
BasilSow Seed
Beans - dwarf (also French beans, Bush beans) Sow Seed
BorageStart in seed trays or plant out (transplant) seedlings or sow seed
Burdock (also Gobo (Japanese Burdock)) Sow Seed
Cape Gooseberry(also Golden Berry, Inca Berry ) Sow Seed
Capsicum (also Bell peppers, Sweet peppers) Start in seed trays or plant out (transplant) seedlings or sow seed
Chilli peppers (also Hot peppers) Start undercover in seed trays and plant out in 4-6 weeks
ChivesSow Seed
Choko/Chayote (also Chayote squash, christophene, chouchou, mirliton) Plant tubers
Coriander (also Cilantro, Chinese parsley) Sow Seed
Corn Salad (also Lamb's lettuce or Mache) Sow Seed
Cowpeas (also Black eye peas, Southern peas) Sow Seed
CucumberSow Seed
Daikon (also Japanese radish, Lo Bok) Sow Seed
DillSow Seed
EggplantStart in seed trays or plant out (transplant) seedlings or sow seed
EndiveSow Seed
Fennel (also Bronze fennel) Sow Seed
French tarragonStart undercover in seed trays and plant out in 4-6 weeks
Jerusalem Artichokes (also Sunchoke) Plant tubers
Lemon Balm (also Sweet balm, ) Sow Seed
Luffa (also Loofah, plant sponge) Sow Seed
Mustard Greens Sow Seed
NZ Spinach / Warrigal greens Start in seed trays or plant out (transplant) seedlings or sow seed
Oregano (also Pot Marjoram) Sow Seed
Parsley (also curly leaf parsley or flat leaf (Italian) parsley) Sow Seed
ParsnipSow Seed
PotatoPlant seed potatoes
RadishSow Seed
Rosella (also Queensland Jam Plant, Roselle) Sow Seed
RosemarySow Seed
Rutabaga (also Swedes) Sow Seed
SageSow Seed
Salsify (also Vegetable oyster) Sow Seed
Savory - Summer and Winter Savory Start undercover in seed trays and plant out in 4-6 weeks
ShallotsSow Seed
Silverbeet (also Swiss Chard or Mangold) Plant out (transplant) seedlings
Spinach (also English spinach) Sow Seed
Strawberries (from seeds)Start undercover in seed trays and plant out in 4-6 weeks
Strawberry PlantsPlant out (transplant) seedlings
SunflowerSow Seed
Sweet corn (also maize) Sow Seed
Sweet Marjoram (also Knotted marjoram) Sow Seed
ThymeStart undercover in seed trays and plant out in 4-6 weeks
TomatilloSow Seed
TurnipSow Seed
WatermelonSow Seed

October Planting Guide - Dry Summer Sub-Tropical Regions

Warm temperate, typical Mediterranean-type climate with dry,warm sub-tropical summer (normally above 10 degrees C). Cool, wet winter. Confined to the South Western Cape and western part of the Southern Cape.
Plant NameSow or Transplant
AmaranthPlant out (transplant) seedlings or sow seed
AngelicaStart in seed trays or plant out (transplant) seedlings or sow seed
AsparagusPlant crowns
Asparagus Pea (also Winged bean) Sow Seed
BasilSow Seed
Beans - climbing (also Pole beans, Runner beans, Scarlet Runners)Sow Seed
BeetrootPlant out (transplant) seedlings or sow seed
BorageStart in seed trays or plant out (transplant) seedlings or sow seed
BroccoliSow Seed
BurdockSow Seed
CabbageSow Seed
Cape Gooseberry (also Golden Berry, Inca Berry ) Plant out (transplant) seedlings
Capsicum(also Bell peppers, Sweet peppers) Start in seed trays or plant out (transplant) seedlings or sow seed
CarrotSow Seed
CauliflowerSow Seed
CelerySow Seed
Chicory (also Witloof, Belgian endive) Sow Seed
ChivesSow Seed
Corn Salad (also Lamb's lettuce or Mache) Sow Seed
Choko/Chayote (also Chayote squash, christophene, chouchou, mirliton)Plant tubers
Coriander (also Cilantro, Chinese parsley)Start in seed trays or plant out (transplant) seedlings or sow seed
CucumberSow Seed
Daikon (also Japanese radish, Lo Bok) Sow Seed
DillSow Seed
EggplantStart in seed trays or plant out (transplant) seedlings or sow seed
Bronze Fennel Sow Seed
Florence Fennel (also Finocchio) Sow Seed
GingerPlant Root
LeeksPlant out (transplant) seedlings
Lemon BalmSow Seed
Luffa (also Loofah, plant sponge) Sow Seed
MarrowSow Seed
Mustard GreensSow Seed
New Zealand Spinach / Warrigal greens Start in seed trays or plant out (transplant) seedlings or sow seed
Okra Sow Seed
Oregano(also Pot Marjoram) Sow Seed
Parsley(curly leaf parsley or flat leaf (Italian) parsley) Sow Seed
ParsnipSow Seed
PotatoPlant seed potatoes
PumpkinSow Seed
RadishSow Seed
Rockmelon(also Canteloupe) Sow Seed
Rosella(also Queensland Jam Plant, Roselle) Sow Seed
RosemarySow Seed
Rutabaga (also Swedes) Sow Seed
SagePlant out (transplant) seedlings
Salsify (also Vegetable oyster) Sow Seed
Savory(Summer and Winter Savory)Sow Seed
Spinach(also English spinach) Sow Seed
Squash(also Crookneck, Pattypan, Summer squash) Sow Seed
Strawberries(from seeds)Sow Seed
Strawberry PlantsPlant out (transplant) seedlings
SunflowerStart in seed trays or plant out (transplant) seedlings or sow seed
Sweet corn (also maize) Sow Seed
Sweet Marjoram (also Knotted marjoram) Sow Seed
Sweet Potato (also Kumara)Plant Slips
ThymeSow Seed
TomatilloSow Seed
TomatoPlant out (transplant) seedlings
TurnipSow Seed
WatermelonSow Seed
Yam/Oka (also Oca) Plant tubers
Zucchini (also Courgette/Marrow, Summer squash) Sow Seed

October Planting Guide - Semi-Arid Regions

Dry and hot in summer. Cold, often with frost in winter. Includes most of the northern part of the Eastern Cape, including the Klein Karoo, the Great Karoo and Northern Cape, as well as some of the northern West Coast towards Namibia.
Plant NameSow or Transplant
Amaranth(also Love-lies-bleeding) Plant out (transplant) seedlings or sow seed
AngelicaStart in seed trays or plant out (transplant) seedlings or sow seed
AsparagusPlant crowns
Asparagus Pea (also Winged bean) Sow Seed
BasilSow Seed
Beans(pole, runner, climbing, french & bush beans)Sow Seed
BeetrootPlant out (transplant) seedlings or sow seed
BorageSow Seed
Cape Gooseberry(also Golden Berry, Inca Berry ) Plant out (transplant) seedlings
Capsicum(also Bell peppers, Sweet peppers) Start in seed trays or plant out (transplant) seedlings or sow seed
CarrotSow Seed
CelerySow Seed
Chicory (also Witloof, Belgian endive) Sow Seed
ChivesSow Seed
Coriander (also Cilantro, Chinese parsley) Start in seed trays or plant out (transplant) seedlings or sow seed
Corn Salad (also Lamb's lettuce or Mache) Sow Seed
Cowpeas (also Black eye peas, Southern peas) Sow Seed
Daikon (also Japanese radish, Lo Bok)Sow Seed
DillSow Seed
EggplantStart in seed trays or plant out (transplant) seedlings or sow seed
FennelSow Seed
GingerPlant Root
Lemon BalmSow Seed
LettucePlant out (transplant) seedlings
Luffa (also Loofah, plant sponge) Sow Seed
MarrowSow Seed
Mustard greens(also gai choy) Sow Seed
New Zealand Spinach/ Warrigal greens Sow Seed
Okra/ Sow Seed
Oregano(also Pot Marjoram) Sow Seed
Parsley(also curly leaf parsley or flat leaf (Italian) parsley) Start in seed trays or plant out (transplant) seedlings or sow seed
PotatoPlant Seed Potatoes
PumpkinSow Seed
RadishSow Seed
Rockmelon (also Canteloupe)Sow Seed
Rosella(also Queensland Jam Plant, Roselle) Sow Seed
Rosemary SeedsSow Seed
SageSow Seed
Savory - summer savory and winter savorySow Seed
SpinachSow Seed
Squash(also Crookneck, Pattypan, Summer squash) Sow Seed
Strawberries (from seeds)Plant out (transplant) seedlings
Strawberry PlantsPlant out (transplant) seedlings
SunflowerStart in seed trays or plant out (transplant) seedlings or sow seed
Sweet corn (also maize) Sow Seed
Sweet Marjoram (also Knotted marjoram) Sow Seed
Sweet PotatoPlant Slips
TomatilloSow Seed
TomatilloPlant out (transplant) seedlings
TomatoSow Seed
WatermelonSow Seed
Yam/Oka (also Oca) Plant tubers
Zucchini (also Courgette/Marrow, Summer squash) Sow Seed