With the days getting shorter, colder and wetter many people wonder what they can sow in October to allow them to harvest through Autumn, Winter and early spring. We've put together a a guide to what you can sow now that will still thrive in your garden, even with the shorter days.
- Garlic: Garlic only needs temps between 1-10 degrees centigrade for up to 30 days to allow the bulb to split open, if you're used to growing garlic and only getting one large bulb rather than a garlic with lots of small bulbs it's probably because you've grown it in too hot weather. Garlic is plated now for harvest the next spring.
- Onion sets: Onion sets can be sown now. They are able to grow in cooler weather and will give you a nice harvest towards the beginning of summer the next year.
- Shallots: Shallots are another onion family member that can be planted in October and will withstand the colder temperature. You will get a harvest in summer the year after.
- Spring onion: Specifically white Lisbon, can be sown all year round and gives you some fantastic flavour when the food choices are getting blander!
- Radish: Radish's are extremely quick growing crops, which you can still grow now for harvests this time of year.
- Broad beans: A fantastic plant to grow right now, they can withstand the colder temperatures and can be harvested in spring. They will grow slower at this time of year but will shoot up very quickly in early spring, this will ensure that you get a harvest first thing in the new year and reduces your chance of the dreaded black fly; which is the main pest for broad beans.
- Lettuce: Lettuce can be planted throughout the winter in greenhouses or polytunnel's, but can also grow outside if you have a winter variety.
- Mustard leaves: Mustard leaves can be sown at this time of year for small salad leaves, they will grow slower than in the early months but will still produce a good crop.
- Spinach: Sow spinach at this time of year to get some iron in your diet! It will keep going for quite a while, giving you a good crop at this time of year if you still want some greens.
- Kale: Kale is a brilliant crop to sow at this time of year, as part of the brassica family it is prone to white fly and butterfly eggs; so planting it now these pests are reduced so you will get a better healthier crop.
- Pak Choi: Salad greens like pak choi and Chinese cabbage are brilliant to sow in October, they will withstand the colder temperatures and will add some variety to your crop at this time of year. You can harvest in the same year.
- Cauliflower: This is a great time to grow cauliflower as the dreaded white fly is no longer a threat and there is very little chance of bolting as the sun is a lot less strong and less present! So you will have more chance of actually growing the cauliflower rather than just the greens.
Get sowing now, what you don't plant will definitely not grow!