In The Vegetable Garden This October

October is a transitional month in the vegetable garden. It’s a time to wind things down, harvest the last of your summer crops, and prepare for winter and next year’s growing season. Here are the top tips for October in the vegetable garden:

🌱 Sow & Plant 

Even though it’s cooling down, there are still things you can sow and plant: 

Sow under cover (in greenhouse or cold frame):

• Winter salads (e.g. lamb’s lettuce, mizuna, mustard, rocket)
• Spinach
• Spring onions (for early crops next year)
• Peas (early varieties) – for overwintering in mild areas or under cover. 

Plant out:

• Garlic – choose a reliable variety suited to UK conditions (e.g. ‘Solent Wight’, ‘Messidrome’).
• Onion sets & shallots – for overwintering.
• Broad beans – sow ‘Aquadulce Claudia’ or similar hardy varieties outdoors or in modules for planting out later. 

🥕 Harvest 

Make the most of your hard work! 

• Carrots – lift maincrop varieties and store in sand in a cool, dark place.
• Beetroot
• Parsnips – can be left in the ground (better after frost).
• Kale, leeks, and cabbages – pick as needed.
• Pumpkins & squashes – harvest before frost and cure them somewhere warm and dry for a couple of weeks.
• Tomatoes – pick any green ones and ripen indoors or use in chutney. 

🍂 Garden Maintenance & Prep 

October is ideal for getting your plot winter-ready: 

• Clear spent crops – remove old plants and compost healthy ones.
• Weed thoroughly – reduce weed seeds overwintering and remove hiding places for pests.
• Mulch beds – apply compost or well-rotted manure to improve soil and suppress weeds.
• Cover empty beds – use green manures (e.g. field beans, phacelia) or black plastic/mulch to protect the soil.
• Clean tools, pots, and greenhouse – helps prevent disease and gets you ready for next season. 

🌿 Protect Crops 

• Use cloches or fleece to protect late crops from frost.
• Lift tender crops like outdoor chillies and keep indoors or in a greenhouse.
• Net brassicas – keep pigeons and caterpillars away.

🐛 Pest & Disease Watch 

• Watch for slugs and snails – especially with autumn rains.
• Remove yellowing leaves from brassicas – they attract pests and diseases.
• Check stored produce regularly for rot or mould.