What's in season in Australia in October

★ Asian greensvegetable

Bok choy, choy sum, gai lan and wombok are grown in overlapping plantings around Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne, so there is some in every month. Cooler months give the best leaves.

★ Asparagusvegetable

One of the shortest and most clearly seasonal vegetables in the country, and close to the only reliable sign that spring has arrived at a market. Victoria grows nearly all of it.

★ Blueberryfruit

The mid north coast of New South Wales grows most of the country's blueberries and starts picking in winter, well before Victoria and Tasmania pick in summer.

★ Leekvegetable

A cool season crop grown mostly in Victoria, available from autumn through spring.

★ Peasvegetable

Tasmania grows most of Australia's peas, though mostly for freezing. Fresh snow peas and sugar snaps are a spring crop.

★ Potatovegetable

Australia's biggest vegetable crop. Tasmania, South Australia and Victoria grow most of it, and staggered plantings plus storage keep local potatoes in supply all year.

Avocadofruit

Queensland picks through autumn and winter and Western Australia takes over in spring, which is why avocado never quite feels seasonal even though each region's crop is.

Bananafruit

Queensland grows over nine in ten Australian bananas and picks them all year. Lady fingers are the smaller, sweeter variety worth looking for from autumn to spring.

Beetrootvegetable

Queensland's Lockyer Valley grows most of the country's beetroot, with the best of it through winter.

Broccolivegetable

A cool season crop. Queensland supplies it through winter and Victoria and Tasmania through spring and summer.

Cabbagevegetable

Grown in almost every state and planted in batches, so there is local cabbage for most of the year. Winter heads are the densest.

Carrotvegetable

Western Australia grows the largest share of Australian carrots, and staggered plantings across the states keep them in supply all year.

Cauliflowervegetable

A winter vegetable. Victoria grows the most, and the heads are firmest and whitest in the cold months.

Celeryvegetable

Victoria grows well over half of the country's celery, with the main season running from late spring through summer.

Cucumbervegetable

Grown in South Australian and Queensland glasshouses year round, so local cucumbers are always around. Field cucumbers are a summer crop.

Fresh herbsherb

Soft herbs such as basil and coriander peak in late spring and summer. Parsley, chives and mint run for much of the year.

Lettucevegetable

Victoria grows lettuce in the warmer months and Queensland's Lockyer Valley takes over for winter, so it never really leaves.

Orangefruit

Navels are the winter orange and Valencias the summer one. The New South Wales Riverina grows the most of both.

Parsnipvegetable

A cool season root grown mostly in Victoria and Western Australia, at its sweetest in winter.

Raspberryfruit

Tasmania, Victoria and New South Wales pick raspberries in summer, and Queensland grows a winter crop.

Spinach and silverbeetvegetable

English spinach, silverbeet and kale grow year round in Victoria and Queensland. They are at their best in the cooler months.

Strawberryfruit

The one that surprises people: Queensland grows strawberries through winter, so the southern summer berry and the Queensland winter berry are two different seasons rather than one long one.

Sweet cornvegetable

Queensland grows most Australian sweet corn, and it is a summer crop in every state. Buy it as close to picking as you can, because the sugar turns to starch within days.

Zucchinivegetable

Queensland grows zucchini through the southern winter and the southern states take over in summer.