- Clear old vegetation – remove all dead foliage and old, dying plants. Add it all to the compost heap.
- Remove plant supports – clear away all bean poles, canes etc and store
- Cover beds with sheeting – use weed suppressant membrane or mulch to cover areas this keeps weed growth at bay and allows you to sow earlier next spring.
- ‘Cure’ pumpkins and squashes – cut and leave the crop to dry in the sun. This ‘curing’ hardens the skins, and the tougher the skins the longer they will store.
- Lift carrots and other root vegetables where possible and store
- Earth up – leeks and celery to keep the stems blanched.
- Cover late crops – use cloches to cover and protect any late sown crops, especially salad crops.
- Harvest fruit – continue picking apples and pears/ cook or eat any that are damaged, only store perfect fruit.
Sow or plant in October
- Sow broad bean seeds of early varieties, they should overwinter and give you a crop in the following June.
- Last chance this year for transplanting spring cabbages. Plant them in ground that has been well firmed and cover with nets to protect from birds.
- Rhubarb -they should be entering the dormant period from now until March, so this is the best time to plant new sets or divide and replant old crowns.
- Fruit Bushes – plant new, bare root bushes this month, allowing them time through autumn to get their roots down before start of next growing season.
