The following is a list of vegetables and herbs you can plant in November in Sydney, a temperate zone. Just click on the name for the growing guide for each vegetable or herb:

• Artichokes
• Asparagus crowns
• Basil seedlings
• Beans (bush and climbing)
• Beetroot
• Borage
• Broccoli
• Cabbage
• Cape Gooseberry
• Capsicum
• Carrot
• Celery
• Chives
• Coriander
• Cucumber
• Eggplant
• Jerusalem Artichoke
• Lemon Balm
• Lettuce
• Luffa
• Marrow
• Okra
• Parsley
• Peanut
• Pumpkin
• Radish
• Rocket
• Rockmelon (cantaloupe) seedlings
• Sage
• Silverbeet
• Spring Onions
• Sunflowers
• Sweet Corn
• Tarragon
• Tomato
• Turnip
• Watermelon
• Yacon
• Zucchini

Plant of the Month – The colourful Lampranthus – (Hot Flash)

Lampranthus means ‘shining- flower’ in Latin and refers to the bright daisy like flowers that grow in great profusion over the plant in spring. There are about 180 species in the family Lampranthus in many different colours. Lampranthus Hot Flash is a spectacular low growing, evergreen succulent shrub with bright neon-magenta daisy like flowers.

The leaves of the Lampranthus Hot Flash are light grey-green and are fleshy, long and opposing on the stems.

The plant is wonderful ground cover for rockeries, growing in a carpet of bright flowers that are attractive to pollinators. It grows to about 30cm high and to a width of 1m, growing to maturity in about 2-5 years.

To flower well, Lampranthus Hot Flash needs to be located in full sun. The soil should be well draining with possibly a sloping ground or raised rockery beds to ensure the drainage that it needs. It flowers in spring to early summer for an extended period and is attractive even when only the leaves are present.

As a plant that is indigenous to southern Africa and a Mediterranean climate, Lampranthus Hot Flash is perfect for the hot weather of Sydney. By storing water in its leaves, it is a drought tolerant plant that is best watered when the top part of the soil dries out. Over watering will make the plant die back so erring on the side of dryness is best. It is a very easy care plant to maintain.

Lampranthus Hot Flash can be propagated from seeds or from stem cuttings planted in the spring. Taking cuttings and replanting in the bed will ensure new plants for future years and keep the growing area lush when not in flower.

When ripe the seed pods will open up releasing the seeds that drop down in the garden bed to renew the growth.

Lampranthus Hot Flash is worth growing in rockeries or garden beds or on pots for a sunny verandah.

The beauty and colour will brighten any garden.