Grow your own fruit and herbs at home in Ireland
Autumn is the time to plant a home harvest. Berry bushes, fig, kiwi and grape plants are best set in while dormant, then crop from summer onwards. Use the month-by-month calendar to see what to plant, what to pick and what to do.
Fruit to plant this autumn
Dormant plants settle in over winter and are ready to grow in spring. These arrive as young plants in 13cm pots, about 20–25cm tall, so expect a crop that builds over the first seasons. See the full fruit collection.
Irish harvest calendar
A conservative guide based on Royal Horticultural Society advice. Cooler, exposed and upland gardens will pick later than warm, sheltered ones, and southern and coastal gardens can often plant a little earlier.
On a phone, swipe the table sideways to see every column.
| Month | Plant | Pick | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Dormant blueberries, raspberries, blackberries and redcurrants on days the ground is workable | Nothing outdoors; indoor citrus may still carry fruit | Protect pot roots from hard frost; keep citrus bright and water it sparingly; winter-prune redcurrants |
| February | Dormant berry bushes and fruit canes; grape vines in mild areas (spring is safer in cold ones) | Nothing outdoors | Cut autumn-fruiting raspberry canes to the ground; repot blueberries in late winter; mulch |
| March | Last dormant raspberries, blackberries and redcurrants; grape vines in colder areas | Nothing outdoors | Feed vines with a high-potassium fertiliser; restart citrus feeding; fleece early blossom on frosty nights |
| April | Strawberries; herb pots (thyme, lemon balm, mint) as the weather warms | Nothing outdoors | Cover blossom with fleece when frost is forecast; watch for slugs on new growth |
| May | Herbs in containers; strawberries | First herb leaves for tea and the kitchen | Water new plants in dry spells; feed pot figs every two weeks; tie in new canes |
| June | Containers and herb pots | Strawberries (June to August); first summer raspberries late in the month | Move hardened-off citrus outside from mid-June; net fruit against birds; pinch and prune figs |
| July | Little to plant now; anything set in summer needs daily watering | Strawberries, summer raspberries, blueberries (July to September), currants | Water pots daily in hot spells; feed blueberries with ericaceous feed; keep netting on |
| August | Strawberries for next year (August to September) | Blueberries; autumn raspberries begin; blackberries from late summer; first grapes | Cut out fruited summer raspberry canes; keep watering pots |
| September | Strawberries; start thinking about autumn berry bushes | Autumn raspberries, blackberries, figs, grapes, hardy kiwi | Bring citrus in as soon as nights turn cool; order bushes for planting while the soil is warm |
| October · NOW | Pot-grown blueberries, raspberries, blackberries and redcurrants (mid-autumn onwards); vines from October | Autumn raspberries, grapes, kiwi | Bring citrus indoors; remove large green figs so only the pea-sized ones overwinter |
| November | Dormant raspberries and redcurrants (November to March); blueberries; blackberries | Late autumn raspberries into November | Mulch; wrap pots in hessian or bubble wrap; pack straw around fig branches after leaf fall |
| December | Only on mild, workable days | Indoor citrus | Protect pots; keep citrus bright and slightly dry; plan next year's order |
What to plant, when, and what to expect
Pick a crop to see when it goes in, when you pick it and the one thing it needs to do well in Ireland.
Blueberries
Plant: mid-autumn to early spring, any time except hot, dry or frozen weather.
Pick: July to September.
Needs: acidic soil (pH 4.5–5.5), so use peat-free ericaceous compost in pots. Two different varieties crop better.
Raspberries
Plant: November to March while dormant; pot-grown plants can go in earlier.
Pick: summer types June to August, autumn types September to October.
Tip: autumn-fruiting canes can crop in their first year. Check each listing for the fruiting type.
Blackberries
Plant: mid-autumn to early spring.
Pick: from late summer into autumn.
Needs: horizontal wires on a wall or fence, set up before planting, so canes are easy to train and pick.
Redcurrants
Plant: November to March when dormant; container plants settle in at other times.
Pick: summer.
Tip: choose a sheltered spot away from frost pockets, because late frosts can damage the flowers.
Figs
Plant: spring or autumn in a warm, sheltered spot; in a pot about 30cm wide to start.
Pick: late summer.
Tip: restrict the roots and feed with a high-potassium fertiliser. In cool climates only the first crop normally ripens.
Kiwi
Plant: in a sunny, sheltered spot with a large, sturdy support.
Pick: autumn.
Needs: a male and a female for hardy kiwi (our sets include both). Plants usually take three or four years to start fruiting.
Grapes
Plant: October to March while dormant; spring is safer in cold areas.
Pick: August to November.
Needs: full sun, ideally a south or south-west wall, with free-draining soil. Net the fruit against birds.
Strawberries
Plant: spring, or August to September for fruit the following year.
Pick: June to early August.
Tip: wild strawberry (Fragaria vesca) is small, sweet and happy as ground cover or in a pot.
Lemons and calamondin
Grow: in a pot. Indoors from autumn to June, outside from mid-June to late September once hardened off.
Winter minimum: about 13°C for calamondin and about 10°C for lemon.
Tip: water sparingly in winter and keep them away from radiators.
Growing fruit in pots
No garden? Blueberries, strawberries, figs, autumn raspberries and citrus all grow well in containers.
- Blueberries: peat-free ericaceous compost and a final pot about 40–50cm across
- Figs: start in a pot about 30cm wide and deep with soil-based, peat-free compost
- Strawberries: any sunny, free-draining container; water regularly and net the fruit
- Citrus: a big, well-drained pot that you can bring indoors before the first cold nights
- Every pot: good drainage holes, regular watering in summer, and a feed through the growing season (one Irish option: liquid seaweed feed)
Herbs you can grow from our range
We don't stock rosemary, sage, parsley or basil, but we do have hardy herbs that come back every year: a herbal tea pack of lemon balm and five mints, and common thyme. Mint spreads fast, so give it its own pot or sink a bottomless pot into the border.
More aromatic plants: English and French lavender · Edible plants & fruit bushes
More planting guides
Seasonal planting guide
Month-by-month planting for bulbs, hedging, perennials and ground cover.
Open the guide →Berry bushes for Irish gardens
Choosing and growing organic berry bushes in Irish soil and weather.
Read the guide →Autumn planting guide
What to plant from September to December in Ireland.
Read the guide →Growing food at home: your questions answered
When is the best time to plant fruit bushes and berries in Ireland?
Can I grow fruit in pots?
How long until I can pick fruit?
Do kiwi plants need a male and a female?
Can I grow figs outdoors in Ireland?
Can I grow lemons or calamondin oranges in Ireland?
Which herbs do you sell?
How are fruit plants delivered, and what condition will they arrive in?
Start your home harvest this autumn
Plant now and let the roots settle over winter. Free tracked delivery to Ireland and 24 more EU countries, usually in 5–8 working days.