The vegetable garden in October: this is what you can do
Can you still do anything in the vegetable garden in October? Absolutely! Because now that you've brought in the last of the harvest, you can start preparing for next year with full enthusiasm.
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In autumn, the soil is still warm enough for planting. Photo: Tim Sandall.
Autumn is the perfect time to lay the foundation for your vegetable garden . From improving the soil to harvesting, sowing, and planting: in October, you can get started with these 11 gardening tasks for your vegetable garden.
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Once the soil in the vegetable garden has been cleared in October, you have plenty of room to focus on improving it. But leave the pitchfork alone and save your back. There are simpler methods. For example, sow a green manure (you can still sow winter rye in October). Alternatively, you can cover the soil with a thick mulch of compost. The worms will do the rest of the work for you over the winter.
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Pumpkin 'Uchiki-kuri'. Photo: Jason Ingram.
We can't ignore them in October: pumpkins ! They're not only fun for Halloween, but many varieties are also delicious. Treat yourself to a delicious pumpkin pie, for example. And if you have any seeds left over, feed them to the birds .
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Photo: Paul Debois.
You can still get fresh carrots. If you sow small amounts of carrots throughout the year, you can generally harvest from May to December.
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Our best tips for year-round cooking from your own garden
From patio to allotment: vegetable gardening is possible everywhere!
October is the perfect month to harvest apples. Take an apple in your hand and give it a quarter turn. If it comes away easily from the stem, it's ripe. Depending on the type of apple you have, you can eat it fresh or make it into apple puree. Of course, you can also save an apple for a rainy day.
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Red and yellow beets. Photo: Sarah Cuttle.
Beets (and yellow ones, too, for that matter) are much tastier fresh from your own garden than store-bought. This month is the last time you can harvest fresh beets.
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Photo: Sarah Cuttle.
You can plant onions in spring or fall, between September and mid-November. The advantage of planting in fall is that they quickly develop roots and continue growing rapidly in spring. You can then harvest as early as June, weeks earlier than if you plant them in spring.
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Photo: Tim Sandall.
This month is still a great time to plant garlic for an early summer harvest. When sowing, ensure the soil is well-draining, otherwise the cloves will rot in winter. Sow the cloves on ridges, for example, to keep them drier.
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The best growing tips and more than 50 recipes!€12.99
Our best tips for year-round cooking from your own garden
From patio to allotment: vegetable gardening is possible everywhere!
If you sow lettuce in October, you might get a small harvest before winter. After that, they'll take a winter break. But from March onwards, the leaves will quickly start growing again, yielding an early harvest. Protect the plants from the worst of the weather with fleece or a grow box over the winter.
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Photo: Jason Ingram.
You can also sow broad beans in October to get a head start before the plants go into winter dormancy. As soon as spring is warm and light enough, they'll quickly resume growth. If you sowed broad beans in September, you can also plant out the seedlings now.
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October marks the start of the bare-root season. Trees and shrubs are much cheaper to buy as rootstock than in pots the rest of the year. For fruit trees, be sure to choose the right rootstock – for example, M27 (low-stem apple tree) or Quince C (low-stem pear tree).
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Gooseberries. Photo: Sarah Cuttle.
Currants and gooseberries are also available more cheaply as bare-root plants between October and March. Plant them immediately after purchase, as this gives them the best chance to establish before temperatures drop. You can plant them all winter long (except when the ground is frosty), as long as the bushes are dormant. You can also choose to plant them in a temporary location (ensiling).
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