Spring 2026 vs 2025: how Sydney's weather has changed this season
This spring is running almost the opposite of last year's. Last October felt like early summer. This one has been mild by day, warm at night and wet.
| Spring 2025 | Spring 2026 | |
|---|---|---|
| 🍂 September | Wet, close to 80mm of rain | Dry, about a third of that |
| ☀️ October days | Hot, averaging 27 degrees, five days over 30 | Mild, averaging 22 degrees, right on normal |
| 🌧️ October rain | Barely 9mm | About 77mm, nearly double normal |
| 🌙 Nights | Warm | Still warm, among the warmest in a decade |
Sydney weather for September and 1 to 18 October each year. Normal means the average of the last ten years.
What this spring's weather means for a Sydney garden
Heat lovers like tomatoes, chilli and basil are growing steadily rather than racing as they did last October, and new plantings are settling in easily in moist soil with no heat stress. The cost is pest and disease pressure. Warm nights, wet soil and soft spring growth are close to a perfect brief for aphids, snails and leaf fungus, which is why the questions at the King Street counter have moved from what to plant to what is eating it. This fortnight, the job is plant health.
What to check in a Sydney garden after spring rain
Check the newest growth, the undersides of leaves, and anything in a pot that cannot drain. Three problems show up in the week after a wet spell.
- Aphids cluster on the soft tips of roses, citrus and herbs, usually on the newest growth.
- Snails and slugs leave silver trails and ragged holes, and a punnet of seedlings can disappear in one night.
- Fungal leaf problems show as spotting, yellowing lower leaves or white powdery patches. Give plants room and water the soil, not the leaves, in the morning.
Common spring garden problems in Sydney: aphids clustered on new growth, a snail on a seedling leaf, and fungal leaf spot
How to treat aphids, caterpillars and snails in spring
Match the product to the pest, because no single bottle does every job.
Aphids, whitefly, scale and mites. eco-oil concentrate is a registered organic insecticide and miticide for the sap suckers. It works by contact, so spray the undersides of leaves where they sit.
Caterpillars on brassicas and leafy greens. Dipel is a Bacillus thuringiensis biological control that the caterpillars have to eat. It spares bees and ladybirds, and needs reapplying roughly every ten days, more often after rain washes it off.
An infestation already underway. Pyrethrum is a fast contact knockdown with almost no residual, which makes it a response rather than a plan. It is broad spectrum, so spot spray the problem in the evening once the bees have gone home.
Snails and slugs. Copper tape around pots and raised beds keeps working through wet weather and is in store at King Street. The rest of the range is in pest control and plant health. Always read and follow the label directions on any pest product.
How to stop root rot in potted plants after heavy rain
Tip the water out of every saucer under an outdoor pot. A pot standing in water for a week after rain is one of the most common ways a healthy plant collapses in spring, because roots sitting in waterlogged mix cannot take up oxygen and begin to rot. Lift pots onto pot feet so they drain freely.
Old mix that holds water like a sponge makes it worse. If a pot stays wet for days after rain, repot into fresh potting mix rather than topping it up.
Indoor plant pests in spring: fungus gnats, mealybug and spider mite
Fungus gnats, the tiny black flies around the pot, breed in wet potting mix, so the fix is watering rather than spraying. Let the top 20 to 30mm dry out between waters and the cycle breaks. Yellow sticky traps, in store, catch the adults while you wait.
Mealybug looks like cotton wool tucked into leaf joints. Spider mite leaves fine webbing and pale speckled leaves, and it is worst in warm, dry rooms near windows. Wipe off what you can, then treat with a neem spray such as the Plant Runner neem oil ready to use. Check any new indoor plant before it joins the others.
How decoy plants protect herbs from aphids: our top seller this spring
Herbs were the single most popular thing at Newtown Garden Market this spring. Between 1 September and 18 October, herb and cottage punnets were in nearly one in five sales, 1,456 punnets in all.
The trick I am using at home is decoy planting, also called trap cropping. Nasturtiums are the classic. Aphids and cabbage white butterflies prefer them, so a few planted at the edge of the herb bed, rather than in among it, draw pests away from the plants you want to eat. Check them every few days, and when a stem is covered, snip it off and bin it. It lowers the pressure, but it does not make a garden pest free.
Dill and coriander left to flower do a different job. They feed hoverflies and lacewings, whose larvae eat aphids. The herb and edible plant range is in store and online.
October garden pests in Sydney: frequently asked questions
What pests are active in Sydney gardens in October?
Aphids, caterpillars, snails and slugs are the main outdoor pests in a Sydney October, with fungal leaf problems following wet weather. Aphids gather on soft new growth of roses, citrus and herbs. Cabbage white caterpillars target brassicas and leafy greens.
What is a trap crop for aphids?
A trap crop is a plant pests prefer, grown nearby to draw them away from the plants you want to protect. Nasturtiums are the most common trap crop for aphids and cabbage white butterflies. Plant them at the edge of a bed rather than among your herbs, check them every few days, and remove heavily infested stems.
How do I get rid of fungus gnats in indoor plants?
Fungus gnats breed in constantly wet potting mix, so change the watering first. Let the top 20 to 30mm of mix dry out before watering again, which breaks the breeding cycle. Yellow sticky traps catch the adult flies in the meantime. If a pot stays wet for days, repot into fresh, free-draining potting mix.
Should I spray pyrethrum to prevent pests?
No. Pyrethrum is a contact knockdown with almost no residual effect, so it does not protect plants in advance. It is also broad spectrum and kills beneficial insects such as ladybirds. Keep it for an infestation already underway, spot spray in the evening, and use Dipel or eco-oil for ongoing control.
Bring a leaf in to King Street this week
If something in your garden looks wrong, put a leaf in a zip lock bag and bring it to 538 King Street. Weekdays are the quiet time in the shop, and the best time to get a proper answer. Our terrarium workshops run on Saturday mornings through November, and the full garden supplies range is online if you would rather it came to you.
Ri x
