The Fruiting Begins.

October is an excellent month for warm-season planting. Sow or plant tomatoes, capsicum, Lebanese cucumber, zucchini, Kent pumpkin, climbing beans and sweet corn. Sweet potato can be planted as the soil warms, while ginger and turmeric can also be established now. Warm-season herbs including basil and Thai basil can be planted now, while parsley and culantro can also be established where they have some protection from the increasing heat.

October can bring the first harvests from early warm-season plantings, including zucchini, Lebanese cucumber and climbing beans. Carrots, lettuce and other cool-season crops may still be coming from established winter plantings, while garlic can be approaching maturity depending on when it was planted.

Zucchini — Zucchini can be remarkably productive once plants begin cropping. Check plants regularly and harvest young fruit while it is tender — frequent picking also encourages the plant to keep producing.

Culantro (Mexican Coriander) — Culantro is a great subtropical alternative to coriander as the weather warms. It has a stronger flavour and handles warm conditions well, especially when given some protection from harsh afternoon sun. Grow it in part shade or beneath taller plants where it can stay cooler for longer.

Check your zucchini and pumpkin flowers early in the morning. If female flowers are opening but fruit isn't setting, hand-pollination can help — transfer pollen from a freshly opened male flower onto the centre of a female flower.

Watch zucchini, cucumber and pumpkin leaves for the first signs of powdery mildew. Good airflow, morning watering and removing badly affected leaves can help slow its spread. At the first signs, a milk spray of 1 part full-cream milk to 10 parts water is one home-garden option.

Zucchini and pumpkin produce separate male and female flowers on the same plant. Female flowers have a small developing fruit behind the flower, while male flowers grow on a plain stem. Good pollinator activity helps turn those female flowers into developing fruit.

Take five minutes to check how evenly your garden is being watered. Dig just below the soil surface in a few different spots after watering. If some areas are dry while others are wet, adjust your watering before the hotter weather arrives.

Learn the difference between determinate and indeterminate tomatoes. Knowing which type you're growing helps you decide how much support and pruning the plant is likely to need.