Welcome to The Food Cruncher's Gardening Page

Learn how to grow your own food with our simple guide below.

We have put together a basic guide for when to plant your fruit and vegetables.

Please note that we are not gardeners! This can be a starting point if you are thinking about improving your diet by growing and eating more whole-foods that are plant-based (which we encourage). This planting guide is based on New Zealand seasons.

Let’s get started!

Step One

Try and use the best soil you possibly can. The better the soil, the better the plants.

Step Two

Use a planting mix for the type of fruit or vegetable you are growing. Check the seed packets or labels for instructions. The best times to plant are early morning or later in the evening, away from the heat of the sun when planting.

Step Three

Feed your plants – they are going to feed you! Replace the nutrients in your soil as your plants grow. Choose a fertiliser specifically for the plant you are growing.

Vegetable / Fruit	December	January	February	Time to Harvest
Asparagus				2 years
Basil				40–60 days
Beetroot				90–120 days
Blueberry				60-90 days from flower
Broad Bean				85–110 days
Broccoli				60–120 days
Capsicum				80–100 days
Carrot				50–65 days
Cauliflower				90–120 days
Celery				80–85 days
Coriander				30–45 days
Courgette				60–85 days
Cucumber				60–80 days
Eggplant				85–110 days
Kale				60–70 days
Lettuce				40–70 days
Mesclun				40–60 days
Onion				70–180 days
Parsley				45–85 days
Passionfruit				12–18 months
Potato				90–160 days
Pumpkin & Squash				110–170 days
Radish				30–40 days
Rocket				30–40 days
Silverbeet				40–60 days
Spinach				30–40 days
Spring onion				60–70 days
Strawberry				140–160 days
Sweetcorn				98–112 days
Tomato				60–85 days

Vegetable / Fruit	March	April	May	Time to Harvest
Apple				2–4 years
Basil				40–60 days
Beetroot				90–120 days
Blueberry				60-90 days from flower
Blackberry				1 year
Bok Choi				20–45 days
Broad Bean				85–110 days
Broccoli				60–120 days
Carrot				50–65 days
Cauliflower				90–120 days
Celery				80–85 days
Coriander				30–45 days
Eggplant				85–110 days
Feijoa				2–3 years
Garlic				170 days
Kale				60–70 days
Lemon				2–4 years
Lettuce				40–70 days
Lime				2–4 years
Mandarin				2–4 years
Mesclun				40–60 days
Onion				70–180 days
Orange				2–4 years
Parsley				45–85 days
Pea				45–70 days
Pear				2–4 years
Radish				30–40 days
Raspberry				1 year
Rocket				30–40 days
Silverbeet				40–60 days
Spinach				30–40 days
Spring onion				60–70 days
Strawberry				140–160 days
Sweetcorn				98–112 days

Vegetable / Fruit	June	July	August	Time to Harvest
Apple				2–4 years
Asparagus				2 years
Beetroot				90–120 days
Blueberry				60-90 days from flower
Blackberry				1 year
Bok Choi				20–45 days
Broad Bean				85–110 days
Broccoli				60–120 days
Capsicum				50–65 days
Carrot				50–65 days
Cauliflower				90–120 days
Celery				80–85 days
Coriander				30–45 days
Courgette				60–85 days
Cucumber				60–80 days
Eggplant				85–110 days
Feijoa				2–3 years
Garlic				170 days
Kale				60–70 days
Lemon				2–4 years
Lettuce				40–70 days
Lime				2–4 years
Mandarin				2–4 years
Mesclun				40–60 days
Onion				70–180 days
Orange				2–4 years
Parsley				45–85 days
Pea				45–70 days
Pear				2–4 years
Potato				90–160 days
Pumpkin & Squash				110–170 days
Radish				30–40 days
Raspberry				1 year
Rocket				30–40 days
Silverbeet				40–60 days
Spinach				30–40 days
Strawberry				140–160 days
Sweetcorn				98–112 days
Tomato				60–85 days

Vegetable / Fruit	September	October	November	Time to Harvest
Apple				2–4 years
Asparagus				2 years
Basil				40–60 days
Beetroot				90–120 days
Blueberry				60-90 days from flower
Blackberry				1 year
Bok Choi				20–45 days
Broccoli				60–120 days
Capsicum				80–100 days
Carrot				50–65 days
Cauliflower				90–120 days
Celery				80–85 days
Coriander				30–45 days
Courgette				60–85 days
Cucumber				60–80 days
Eggplant				85–110 days
Feijoa				2–3 years
Kale				60–70 days
Lemon				2–4 years
Lettuce				40–70 days
Lime				2–4 years
Mandarin				2–4 years
Mesclun				40–60 days
Onion				70–180 days
Orange				2–4 years
Parsley				45–85 days
Pea				45–70 days
Pear				2–4 years
Potato				90–160 days
Pumpkin & Squash				110–170 days
Radish				30–40 days
Raspberry				1 year
Rocket				30–40 days
Silverbeet				40–60 days
Spinach				30–40 days
Spring Onion				30–40 days
Strawberry				140–160 days
Sweetcorn				98–112 days
Tomato				60–85 days

Vegetable / Fruit	Dec	Jan	Feb	Time to Harvest
Asparagus				2 years
Basil				40–60 days
Beetroot				90–120 days
Blueberry				60-90 days from flower
Broad Bean				85–110 days
Broccoli				60–120 days
Capsicum				80–100 days
Carrot				50–65 days
Cauliflower				90–120 days
Celery				80–85 days
Coriander				30–45 days
Courgette				60–85 days
Cucumber				60–80 days
Eggplant				85–110 days
Kale				60–70 days
Lettuce				40–70 days
Mesclun				40–60 days
Onion				70–180 days
Parsley				45–85 days
Passionfruit				12–18 months
Potato				90–160 days
Pumpkin & Squash				110–170 days
Radish				30–40 days
Rocket				30–40 days
Silverbeet				40–60 days
Spinach				30–40 days
Spring onion				60–70 days
Strawberry				140–160 days
Sweetcorn				98–112 days
Tomato				60–85 days

Vegetable / Fruit	Mar	Apr	May	Time to Harvest
Apple				2–4 years
Basil				40–60 days
Beetroot				90–120 days
Blueberry				60-90 days from flower
Blackberry				1 year
Bok Choi				20–45 days
Broad Bean				85–110 days
Broccoli				60–120 days
Carrot				50–65 days
Cauliflower				90–120 days
Celery				80–85 days
Coriander				30–45 days
Eggplant				85–110 days
Feijoa				2–3 years
Garlic				170 days
Kale				60–70 days
Lemon				2–4 years
Lettuce				40–70 days
Lime				2–4 years
Mandarin				2–4 years
Mesclun				40–60 days
Onion				70–180 days
Orange				2–4 years
Parsley				45–85 days
Pea				45–70 days
Pear				2–4 years
Radish				30–40 days
Raspberry				1 year
Rocket				30–40 days
Silverbeet				40–60 days
Spinach				30–40 days
Spring onion				60–70 days
Strawberry				140–160 days
Sweetcorn				98–112 days

Vegetable / Fruit	Jun	Jul	Aug	Time to Harvest
Apple				2–4 years
Asparagus				2 years
Beetroot				90–120 days
Blueberry				60-90 days from flower
Blackberry				1 year
Bok Choi				20–45 days
Broad Bean				85–110 days
Broccoli				60–120 days
Capsicum				50–65 days
Carrot				50–65 days
Cauliflower				90–120 days
Celery				80–85 days
Coriander				30–45 days
Courgette				60–85 days
Cucumber				60–80 days
Eggplant				85–110 days
Feijoa				2–3 years
Garlic				170 days
Kale				60–70 days
Lemon				2–4 years
Lettuce				40–70 days
Lime				2–4 years
Mandarin				2–4 years
Mesclun				40–60 days
Onion				70–180 days
Orange				2–4 years
Parsley				45–85 days
Pea				45–70 days
Pear				2–4 years
Potato				90–160 days
Pumpkin & Squash				110–170 days
Radish				30–40 days
Raspberry				1 year
Rocket				30–40 days
Silverbeet				40–60 days
Spinach				30–40 days
Strawberry				140–160 days
Sweetcorn				98–112 days
Tomato				60–85 days

Vegetable / Fruit	Sep	Oct	Nov	Time to Harvest
Apple				2–4 years
Asparagus				2 years
Basil				40–60 days
Beetroot				90–120 days
Blueberry				60-90 days from flower
Blackberry				1 year
Bok Choi				20–45 days
Broccoli				60–120 days
Capsicum				80–100 days
Carrot				50–65 days
Cauliflower				90–120 days
Celery				80–85 days
Coriander				30–45 days
Courgette				60–85 days
Cucumber				60–80 days
Eggplant				85–110 days
Feijoa				2–3 years
Kale				60–70 days
Lemon				2–4 years
Lettuce				40–70 days
Lime				2–4 years
Mandarin				2–4 years
Mesclun				40–60 days
Onion				70–180 days
Orange				2–4 years
Parsley				45–85 days
Pea				45–70 days
Pear				2–4 years
Potato				90–160 days
Pumpkin & Squash				110–170 days
Radish				30–40 days
Raspberry				1 year
Rocket				30–40 days
Silverbeet				40–60 days
Spinach				30–40 days
Spring Onion				30–40 days
Strawberry				140–160 days
Sweetcorn				98–112 days
Tomato				60–85 days

Welcome to The Food Cruncher's Gardening Page

@TheFoodCruncher

@TheFoodCruncher