Now that we are home bound for a while and you can see many people working on their lawns, hedges and gardens, we felt it was a good idea to give some tips on what type of fruit and vegetables to plant in Autumn.

Our source is The Garden Centre in South Lismore, a locally owned business. We spoke to Oliver Blythe who passed on this advice.

Autumn brings cooler growing conditions which is good for root vegetables like carrots, potatoes, radishes, parsnips, onions and garlic.

There are quite a few other vegetables that also do well in autumn such as peas & beans, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli and kale.

Some herbs will also keep you in fresh supply such as parsely, spring onions and corriander.

If you are lacking in room then pots are a viable option for herbs.

Preparing your garden bed for two weeks before planting is ideal, digging in some compost to loosen the soil and mix in the nutrients.

The cabbage moth is still active while we have these remaining warm sunny days but there are natural remedies available to protect your crops.

For the fruit lovers, it is a good time to plant citrus trees so oranges, lemons and limes as well as mangoes and lychees.

As you know, we at the Lismore App want you to shop local and keep your money in our community. If you are already a gardener or if you want to give growing your own vegetables a try, you can call the Garden Centre, order what you need then quickly pick it up soon after. There are strict social distancing rules that will be enforced.

Coronavirus has shortened trading hours to three days:

• Sunday 9am - 1pm
• Monday 9am - 4:30pm
• Tuesday 9am - 4:30pm

The phone number is 6621 7305 and the address 67-69 Union Street, South Lismore.

Oliver mentioned they have plenty of seedlings at The Garden Centre.

Good luck with your autumn and winter crops!

A reminder that to further shop local and support businesses that are doing it tough at the moment, go to the Takeaway/Home Delivery yellow button on the front page of the Lismore App.

You can help save a business from closing by ordering takeaway or getting home delivery whether it be coffee, lunch or dinner or sheets for your bed.