Townsville planting guide
When to plant in Townsville is one of our most frequently asked questions.
Townsville’s dry tropical environment can create some challenges for budding green thumbs and their plants. So here is our guide to planting in Townsville.
When to plant in Townsville – 4 key elements
Choosing the right time to plant can depend a great deal on who is doing the planting and what resources they have at hand.
In simple terms you need four things to ensure successful planting:
- Water
- Time
- Knowledge
- Suitable plants
Generally speaking, you can plant any time you like if you have all of these three elements in abundance.
But there are some specific tips that will help you get the most out of your garden.
When to plant in Townsville – Ideal planting weather
April to October are the most pleasant ‘weather wise’ in Townsville both for gardeners and their plants.
A simple rule is, if it’s pleasant for you it is probably going to be pleasant for your plants.
3 tips:
- Always dip the pot or root system into a seaweed solution. This wets the root zone and helps stimulate root growth.
- Lightly prune the plant if possible. This will help reduce its need to feed its leaves and help it get established.
- Plant in the cool of the morning (make sure you water soon after) or afternoon.
When to plant in Townsville – Irrigated v non-irrigated
Irrigated
All year planting is more suited to irrigated gardens, particularly those with automated systems.
Reasoning:
- Less time-consuming: Irrigation takes the hard work out of keeping your plants alive.
- Reliable watering: An irrigation system helps you keep newly planted gardens alive as you can set up a regular watering program and it won’t forget.
- Reduced risk: Helps minimise potential loss or death of plants by ensuring adequate watering suited to seasonal conditions.
Non-irrigated
If you are planting a garden that will be hand watered the positive will be you will have ultimate control over the amount of water your new plants receive. But on the negative side (depending on your dedication) this can pose an increased risk to the success of your garden.
Reasoning:
- Requires dedication: If you get busy or forget to water your garden it will suffer.
- Very time consuming: Hand watering is a labour of love
- Limits timing: Avoid hotter months where more water is required
North, south, east or west?
When to plant your garden is one thing, but what about where?
The location of your garden and the orientation of your yard can make a big difference to the types of plants you will be able to grow and when.
Here is a quick rundown:
North-facing garden
You can plant all-year round but a north-facing garden will receive a lot of winter sun. This is not really suitable for soft plants. This location can be a great location for your outdoor entertaining, particularly if you have a high shelter to protect from the western sun.
South-facing garden
This location will present as the coldest in winter and will be the second-hottest in summer.
Ideal planting for this garden is in late winter/early spring.
East-facing garden
This garden location receives the morning sun and is great for softer plants and your veggies particularly if it’s shaded from the hot afternoon sun.
Ideal planting in Autumn and winter.
West-facing garden
This garden will be the hottest garden all year round and especially in summer.
Ideal planting is in late autumn and winter.
This position is great for arid or semi-arid plants like Australian natives, grasses, cacti and succulents.
