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Daily gardening tip · Southern hemisphere · Friday 16 October 2026 · mid spring

Direct Sow Zucchini and Pumpkin Seeds

Mid spring brings warm soil, making it the perfect time to plant large warm-season seeds straight into the ground.

Direct Sow Zucchini and Pumpkin Seeds
15 minuteseasyseeds sowing
  1. Select a sunny spot in the garden that receives at least six hours of direct sunlight daily.
  2. Mound the soil into small hills spaced about one metre apart to improve drainage.
  3. Press two or three seeds two centimetres deep into the top of each mound.
  4. Water the soil gently until it is thoroughly moist.
  5. Keep the soil damp while waiting for the seeds to sprout over the next week.
A garden in mid spring

Why it works

Zucchini and pumpkin seeds germinate quickly when soil temperatures rise in mid spring. Planting them directly in the bed avoids root shock from transplanting, allowing these fast-growing vines to establish strong, deep root systems early.

Arizona Fleabane

Plant of the day

Arizona Fleabane

Erigeron arizonicus

A perennial wildflower in the daisy family, native to rocky slopes and woodlands of Arizona. It produces a basal rosette of leaves and upright stems bearing numerous small, daisy-like flowers with white to lavender ray florets and yellow centers.

Read about it →

Gardening news

Gardening news

Care not Capital offers funding for community gardening skills

A company is providing up to 3,000 pounds to help people across the country learn gardening skills for shared outdoor areas.

The Dirt · 2026-10-15
New research

Plant Receptor Found to Balance Nutrient Absorption and Disease Defense

Researchers discovered that a protein called SRF3 manages iron levels while controlling immune responses in plants. This mechanism helps plants absorb essential nutrients from soil without triggering overreactions during infection. Understanding this process can help scientists breed stronger crops for changing climates.

salk.edu
On this day

Birth of American Gardening Pioneer Ninah Cummer

On 16 October 1875, gardener and civic leader Ninah May Holden Cummer was born. She founded the Garden Club of Jacksonville in 1922 to promote urban greening and public parks. Her riverfront estate and gardens were later donated to create a public museum and garden.

gardenclubjax.org · 2019-10-28

Written for the southern hemisphere. Gardening north of the equator? See the northern edition

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