Spring Fruit and Vegetables – What’s in Season in Spring
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Spring fruits and vegetables – what’s in season in spring + a free printable spring produce guide for easy reference.
Growing up in in rural NSW, Spring meant cherry blossoms and daffodils, and the weather finally warming up.
And hay fever, which is way less poetic.
Now, in QLD, when I think of spring I think of avocados, asparagus, and strawberries.
Today’s post is a downloadable PDF guide to what’s in season during the Spring months. You can print it out and use when menu planning, to plan to use seasonal (and therefore cheaper) produce.
As usual, this is a general guide only – there will be local variations in climate that will affect exactly what’s in season, when.
Spring Seasonal Fruit
- Grapefruit
- Lemons
- Mandarins
- Oranges
- Papaya
- Pawpaw
- Pineapples
- Mangos
- Strawberries
- Bananas
- Lychees
- Cherries
Recipe Ideas Using Spring Fruits
Spring Seasonal Vegetables
- Artichoke
- Asian greens
- Asparagus
- Avocado
- Green beans
- Broccoli
- Carrot
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Leeks
- Lettuce
- Peas
- Potatoes
- Silverbeet
- Spinach
- Spring onions
- Cucumber
- Chokos
Recipe Ideas Using Spring Vegetables
Buying Tips For Buying and Storing Spring Produce
To maximise the freshness and store fruit and veg for as long as possible, choose produce that is firm and free from blemishes, bruises, or soft spots.
So that it stays fresh, store produce in a cool, dry place like the pantry, if your climate and home are cool enough, or in the refrigerator.
For specific storage ideas, check out my free printable storage guide.
How to Use This Seasonal Produce Guide
Eating seasonally is a great way to enjoy fresher flavours, support local farmers, make more sustainable choices, and just feel more connected to the food you eat. Here’s how to incorporate seasonal produce:
- Plan Your Meals: Use the list of spring fruits and vegetables to inspire your weekly meal plan.
- Shop Smart: Before heading to the store, check the guide to know what’s in season. This can also help you save money, as seasonal produce is often more affordable.
- Preserve the Bounty: If you find yourself with an abundance of certain fruits or vegetables, consider preserving them. I like to flash-freeze fruit and vegetables to preserve them.
- Explore New Recipes: Try new recipes that highlight seasonal produce. This helps you level up your cooking skills, and you might come across a new favourite meal.
Regional Variations in Seasonal Produce Across Australia
Australia has a huge range of climates, from tropical to temperate, which means seasonal produce can vary by region. Here’s a brief overview:
- Tropical Regions (e.g., Northern Queensland, Northern Territory): These areas experience warm temperatures year-round, so fruits and veg all year! However, some temperate crops may not thrive here – yay for tomatoes in winter, not so great for broccoli.
- Subtropical Regions (e.g., Brisbane, Northern New South Wales): This is my region. With mild winters and hot summers, it supports a diverse range of produce. Here in QLD, it means Strawberry season starts in July – it’s weird coming from down south.
- Temperate Regions (e.g., Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide): These areas have distinct seasons, with cool winters and warm summers. Seasonal shifts are more pronounced, affecting the availability of fruits and vegetables throughout the year.
- Arid and Semi-Arid Regions (e.g., Central Australia): Limited rainfall and extreme temperatures can restrict the variety of produce grown here. However, with a bit of love and water, you can still grow your own veg. I have a client in Alice Springs – it’s not unusual for people to have backyard gardens, given the cost of transporting food to the red centre.
Downloadable Guide to What’s In Season During Spring
To help you plan spring meals, I’ve created a downloadable PDF guide to the best fruits and vegetables during the spring months. You can print it out and refer to it when meal planning.
Hi Melissa, we’re so lucky in Australia not to have that European ‘hungry gap’ in spring before the spring crops come up. Even in Tassie we can plant in Autumn and have crops ready in spring. In my little garden I have lemons, lettuce, snowpeas and red chard, and am selectively harvesting garlic tops to add a garlicky taste without the garlic.
Broad beans and brassicas are nicest in the spring, when the winter frosts have given them an extra crunch.
I am interested to know how apples got onto your spring list? They are in blossom in spring, and every apple we eat in spring will have been stored for several months. I think the very latest apple is harvested in July. And pumpkins? Are they harvested now in the far north maybe? All our southern pumpkins were gathered in late Autumn. Of course, they do store well and will be cheap in the shops for a couple of months yet.
How is your compost experiment coming along? And what are you growing in your Qld garden in spring? (Assuming you have time to garden with two little ‘helpers’)
Hi Jo, QLD growing seasons is quite different to down south – I’m still trying to get used to it (still can’t convince my FIL). Pumpkins aren’t any good in summer because they just rot in the humidity. Strawberry season starts in July, tomatoes are good to go in now (Dad and his friend used to compete to get the first tomato before Christmas – more often it was in January).
I have to admit, when doing research for the list, I was also surprised about the apples – it’s just for Sept so I’m assuming it’s a regional thing. The apples we’ve been buying are Australian and still pretty cheap, but not so good as in late Autumn / Winter.
I just ordered seeds yesterday for our garden. Because of the position (south facing) and the fact that it’s a very sheltered courtyard, we’re just getting sun on about 15% of the ground in the late afternoon. Stuff that I planted months and months ago is just starting to grow – amazing what a little sunlight can do!! So the microclimate in our yard means I have to adjust for whatever is ‘recommended’ for climate / region. But I figure it’s easier to shade veggies in summer than do the impossible and get sunlight in in winter :).
Compost is going really well, although I don’t have time to compost every day. We’re going to put in some zuchinni and lots of herbs and some beans, chillis, tomatoes… I got a bit over excited when ordering, I can’t quite remember seeds what I ordered :)
Thanks for this Melissa, it will definitely help me to plan meals cheaply – we love spinach pie around here :)
And Kale presumably :).
Well, that sheds some light on your planting list! I’m still intrigued about those September apples, though. Happy gardening for spring!
I’ve been thinking about this all night lol, I’d hate that the season guide is wrong (kind of defeats the purpose of it!!) so I did some more research and the apples that are in season at the moment are ‘Lady Williams’.
http://www.ripeorganics.com.au/wholefoods-glossary/fruit-veg/apple – this website is one that mentions them. I don’t know if they are a common variety or not.