July in the Brisbane garden

Parsley and Silverbeet

Sow or plant seedlings

Lettuce

Sow or plant every few weeks for a steady supply

Carrot

Sow seed direct every few weeks

Broad Bean

Sow seed direct

Pea

Sow seed beside a trellis

Onion

Plant seedlings in winter

Potato

Plant seed potatoes once the soil is warm

Marigold

Plant seedlings once the soil is warm

Cosmos

Sow seed direct once the soil is warm

Bidens

Plant once the soil is warm

Coriander

Sow in cooler months; it bolts in heat

Dill

Sow seed direct; it dislikes being moved

Paper Daisy

Sow seed or plant seedlings in autumn or early spring

Sturt's Desert Pea

Sow scarified seed into warm soil in spring

Warrigal Greens

Sow soaked seed or plant out in spring

Spinach

Pick outer leaves

Kale

Pick lower leaves; cool weather sweetens them

Broccoli

Cut the head while buds are tight; side shoots follow

Cauliflower

Cut while the curd is firm and white

Cabbage

Cut when the head feels firm

Orange Tree

Pick when sweet; taste one to check

Lemon Tree

Pick lemons as they colour; they hold on the tree

Passionfruit

Collect fruit as it drops; wrinkled is ripe

Lime Tree

Pick limes green and firm

Mandarin

Pick as they colour

Cumquat

Pick when fully orange

Silverbeet

Pick outer leaves as needed

Lemon Myrtle

Pick leaves as you need them; they dry well

Apple Tree and Pear Tree

Winter prune while bare: open the centre, shorten leaders by a third

Rose

Winter prune: cut back by about half to outward-facing buds

Hydrangea

Cut stems that flowered back to a pair of fat buds

Wisteria

Winter prune: shorten the same shoots to 2-3 buds

Grape Vine

Winter prune each spur back to 2 buds

Butterfly Bush

Prune hard in winter to a low framework

Salvia

Cut back to the new shoots at the base