October in the Garden

Author: Martin Blunn, Solutionize Global

October is the time for the end of harvest season for many of the summer crops with tomatoes, cucumbers green beans, courgettes and the last of the soft fruit. Now is the time to start looking at bringing on read for harvest your winter crops such as brassicas.

October is a good month to plant your autumn varieties of garlic, if you have room plan some inside the greenhouse or polytunnel as come up faster than the outdoor ones and you can get a useful crop in March. Early carrots varieties of carrot can also be planted at this time.

If you have asparagus now is the time to cut down the ferny stems, give them their last good weeding and put a good manure on them to feed through the winter.

Generally, on many of the plots you’ve grown crops this year look to dig and feed in the autumn. If you haven’t made a note already map out what was grown in each plot and plan next year to plant in a different location for crop rotation.

It is also the time for propagation for many of your fruit bushes if you want to increase your plant stock. October is a perfect time for taking hardwood cuttings for all currant varieties, black, red and white and gooseberry.

Some pruning can be performed in autumn on blackberries and its family, but most is performed in the winter. The Royal Horticultural Society have some great advice on how to prune and training. I use a book written by Christopher Brickell and David Joyce as my source of knowledge.

Inside a polytunnel or greenhouse October is the time to start tidying ready for next year. This will typically involve cleaning all the debris, scrubbing benches and frames as well as cleaning glass or the polythene. This is also a good time to wash used pots.