Perfect Weekend Job: Direct Sow These Veggies for Big Summer Harvest

Walking through your garden with packets of seeds and popping them straight into the soil is such a simple act of hope!! All that potential, just waiting for moisture, warmth and light to burst open, sending a root searching for water and a shoot growing towards the sun. The myriad of expressions, forms, colours and flavours all held within the hard body seed.

Once the soil has warmed to 20C, many warm season crops will germinate directly in the garden. You do not need pots, grow lights, etc and in many cases, the plants are more resilient and stronger!

Why direct sow?

• When a seed germinates, it sends it’s root out first. Without the confines of a pot, it will go deep, securing itself and spreading out to take advantage of moisture.
• Some crops do not like root disturbance. Direct sowing allows them to establish without that disruption.
• Experiencing all the forces of nature such as full sun, wind, rain and some water stress can build a stronger more resilient plant
• Easy as there is no need for pots, soil, glasshouse.

Tips for success

• Young plants struggle with competition - Keep the weeds at bay and ensure the young plants have space and light
• Keep soil consistently moist for good germination
• Protect young shoots from snails and slugs and other critters 
• Follow recommended guidelines on sowing depth - a common mistake is  planting seeds too deep
• Sow more seeds then you need - and then thin to recommended spacing.  This provides a buffer and allows the strong to survive

Many of the crops we direct sow, are also ones that we sow more then once throughout the growing season.  Our first plantings may be in soil blocks, cells or pots but successive sowings are sown directly.

CARROTS

We always direct sow carrots starting in late September. Since the taproot is the part we eat, we want it to keep S-T-R-E-T-C-H-I-N-G as it searches for water, which is why direct sowing is ideal.

We sow in three-week intervals, planting an assortment of varieties at once. For early carrots, we love the golfball-shaped ‘Paris Market-Atlas’. We also sow the sweet, orange ‘Little Finger’ and the red/purple-skinned, orange-centred ‘Dragon’ for colour and flavour variety. Learn more about each variety→

DIRECT SOW (recommended) — Sow carrots when soil temperatures are 18°C or above. Work the soil well beforehand; soft, loose soil allows roots to develop straight and uniform. Plant seeds 4–5 mm deep in rows spaced 20–25 cm apart, covering lightly with soil. Keep soil consistently moist—do not let it dry out. Once seedlings are established, thin to 2.5–5 cm apart and keep the area free of weeds.

NOTE — Many growers plant multiple successions throughout the season for a continuous harvest. Consistent moisture from planting is essential for good root formation, texture, and flavour.

BEETROOT

Beetroot grows well in the cold but germinates best at 25-30°C - so transplanting is best in the early season. As the soil warms though, direct sowing is easy and can provide an easy "fill in" when crops like lettuce are harvested.

For a continuous supply of tender beets, sow seed at 3-4 week intervals until 8 weeks before regular heavy frosts are expected or daylight dips below 10 hours. We aim to have our winter beetroot supply sown before March.

DIRECT SOW - Sow 15 seeds every 30cm - 15mm deep in rows 30-45cm apart. Thin to 1 plant per 5-7cm. 

Although the optimal soil temperature for germination is 29˚C, beetroot will grow well in cool conditions, surviving through the Winter in the ground in our Southern Victorian location.

BEANS

Beans are super easy to direct sow when the soil is warm, and because their roots dislike disturbance, they establish far better when planted straight into the garden. We wait until the soil reaches at least 20°C, then simply push the seeds into well-prepared soil.

We sow beans successively every 2–4 weeks from October through February to ensure a continuous harvest.

DIRECT SOW (recommended) — Beans, such as Flagrano, require warm soil. For quick germination and vigorous growth, wait until soil temperatures reach at least 22°C, ideally 25°C. Sow seeds 2.5 cm deep, spaced 5 cm apart, in 2 rows per 75 cm bed. Do not thin. For a steady supply, sow additional seeds every 2–3 weeks through midsummer.

HERBS

As the soil warms, we direct sow basil, dill and coriander. Especially coriander, which bolts quickly in the long days late spring and summer, we direct sow it every two weeks to ensure a continuous harvest.

In addition to being meals themselves...PESTO!...herbs attract beneficial insects to the garden reducing pest pressure.  They are also wonderful bouquet fillers.

View our full collection→

ZUCCHINI

We find that direct sowing zucchini produces stronger, spring-acclimated plants. Many gardeners assume transplants give an earlier harvest, but in our experience this isn’t true. Zucchini forms an extensive root system very early, and direct sowing allows those roots to grow deeply and undisturbed — resulting in sturdier, more productive plants.

DIRECT SOW — Plant once all risk of frost has passed. Zucchini germinates best in warm soil, ideally around 27°C, with little to no germination below 15°C. Sow 2 seeds every 50–60 cm in rich soil and thin to 1 plant after germination.

We sow ‘Ronde de Nice’ for the earliest harvest and its exceptional flavour — especially grilled, and perfect on our Christmas table. We also grow ‘Cocozelle’ for its rich flavour and beautiful striped skin. Check out our most-loved varieties →

PUMPKINS

Like zucchini, pumpkins develop an extensive root system and prefer to grow undisturbed. They should be sown once the soil has truly warmed. In our Southern Victoria garden, we aim to avoid mid-spring wind and storms, usually sowing around mid-November. We’ve also found that direct-sown pumpkins tolerate wind better than transplants.

For smaller, early pumpkins, ‘Red Kuri’ or ‘Pottimoron’ are hard to beat. You can read more about ‘Honeynuts’ for small, sweet butternut pumpkins.

We also love ‘Black Futsu’, ‘Musque de Provence’, and ‘Marina di Chioggia’ for their unique flavour and texture profiles, long storage potential, and ornamental appeal. Learn more about each variety→

DIRECT SOW — Sow in late spring once all frost risk has passed and the soil is at least 21°C. Plant 2–4 seeds per mound, spaced about 60 cm apart and 25 mm deep. Once seedlings are established, thin to 1 plant per mound.

FLOWERS

And if you’re wanting to add summer colour, we’ve got a matching guide to warm-season flowers you can sow straight into the soil. → READ MORE

Plenty of other crops—like corn, potatoes, radish, turnips, and leafy greens—grow best when direct sown. Whether you rely on direct sowing entirely or combine it with transplants, it’s a simple way to build a productive, thriving summer garden.