One of the secrets to a productive cutting garden is succession planting — sowing small batches of seeds every few weeks so you always have something coming into bloom. Here's a season-by-season guide to planning your South African cutting garden.
Spring (September – November) — Peak Sowing Season
Spring is when most South African gardeners get busy. The soil is warming, frost risk is past in most regions, and long days ahead mean rapid growth.
Sow now:
- Cosmos — Direct sow in full sun, thin to 30cm apart
- Zinnias — Direct sow after last frost; hate to be transplanted
- Dahlias — Start seeds indoors in September, transplant in October
- Sunflowers — Direct sow from September; stagger every 2 weeks
- Queen Anne's Lace — Direct sow in a sunny, well-drained spot
Summer (December – February) — Harvest Season
Summer is when your cutting garden pays off. Keep harvesting, keep deadheading, and sow another round of fast-growing flowers like Zinnias and Sunflowers in early December for late-summer blooms.
Key tasks:
- Cut flowers in the early morning before the heat
- Water deeply but infrequently to encourage deep roots
- Deadhead spent blooms to extend the flowering season
- Sow a second round of Zinnias and Sunflowers in December
Autumn (March – May) — Wind Down & Plant Cool-Season Flowers
As summer fades, it's time to transition to cool-season flowers. In frost-free areas, many annuals will continue to bloom well into May.
Sow now:
- Sweet Peas — Sow in April–May for late winter/spring blooms
- Poppies — Scatter seeds in a sunny spot and let the rain do the work
- Stock and Snapdragons — For a fragrant winter cutting garden
Winter (June – August) — Rest, Plan & Prepare
Winter is quieter in the cutting garden, but it's the perfect time to plan your spring planting, order seeds, and prepare your beds.
Coastal gardeners can continue harvesting through winter from frost-tender annuals that survive mild temperatures.
Get ready for spring:
- Order your spring seeds now — browse our full collection
- Enrich your soil with compost over winter
- Plan your layout for succession planting