Do it NOW….  Each day the sunshine is getting shorter, and progress is slowing.

Outside

You may nonetheless sow these straight into the bottom – masking with cloches later within the month in chilly gardens. Or alternatively, and extra safely, you can sow into modules of peat free compost.  I at all times do this at the moment of 12 months – modules are usually hotter, germination is far faster, there’s much less probability of seed rotting in chilly, moist floor if we get a tough frost earlier than the tip of October, and much much less probability of pest harm. It’s extra economical with costly seed, avoids potential slug harm and even complete destruction! Modules might be grown on after which be planted into the bottom after they’re prepared if situations are appropriate:  

Winter kinds of lettuce* comparable to ‘Arctic King’, ‘Winter Gem’, ‘Rougette du Midi’, ‘Winter Density’, ‘Valdor’, ‘Rosetta’ (greenhouse/tunnel sort), Jack Ice and Lattughino Rossa. Additionally Broad Beans ‘Aquadulce Claudia’** or ‘The Sutton’**, spherical seeded peas like ‘Meteor’, ‘Feltham First’, ‘Pilot’ and many others.(defending from mice!), some forms of non-hearting leafy cabbage greens comparable to  ‘Greensleeves’, claytonia* (miner’s lettuce), corn salad*, landcress*, spinach*, winter & Oriental radishes, salad onions (scallions), overwintering onions comparable to ‘Hello-Keeper’ (rising onions from seed avoids probably introducing onion white rot, which can be introduced in on units).

On well-drained hotter soils in gentle areas, it’s nonetheless price chancing a sowing of a fast-growing early carrot selection* comparable to ‘Early Nantes’ or ‘Amsterdam Forcing’ – notably in southern areas – coated with cloches these could produce finger-sized roots by Christmas or definitely in very early spring. You can even strive oriental salad greens/brassica salad greens* like Broccoli Raab/Rapini/Cima di Rapa, Mizuna, Mustards like ‘Pink and Inexperienced Frills’, rocket, and quick rising salad mixes* for selecting constantly as child leaves and shoots – all will crop this autumn if the climate is gentle. All of those will profit from being coated with cloches or fleece suspended over hoops later within the month to guard from heavy rain, or potential frost and wind harm.

You may nonetheless sow inexperienced manures on any empty floor not coated with a crop, these will shield and enhance the construction of the soil, including important carbon, holding onto vitamins and stopping potential leaching that may happen in heavy rain. Discipline beans and winter tares (each legumes which will even repair ‘free’ nitrogen from the air). Mustard is one other helpful, fast-growing inexperienced manure however is a member of the brassica household, so be sure it suits into your rotations, and Hungarian winter grazing rye (masking the latter on heavy soils with a lightweight excluding mulch in late winter to kill off the highest progress, which makes it a lot simpler to dig in)

In Greenhouses, Polytunnels or in giant chilly frames

You can even sow the entire above undercover, in a polytunnel or chilly body. They’ll develop far more rapidly within the hotter and extra protected surroundings. You can even sow mangetout pea ‘Oregon Large’ and sugar peas comparable to ‘Delikett’ and ‘Delikata’ – straight into tunnel soil you probably have area, or in giant pots and containers – all for pea shoots now, taking two or three cuts of shoots, then leaving to develop on in spring to supply pods. With slightly heat you may also nonetheless sow Italian big flat leaf parsley which is hardier, extra productive, and has much better flavour than the curled varieties. 

Sow all seeds into modules thinly to keep away from overcrowding, guarantee good air circulation and good drainage in an effort to keep away from potential ‘damping off’ illnesses within the cooler autumn climate. Lettuce specifically might be very susceptible to illness now, so both sow individually – or skinny fastidiously to the one strongest seedling with out damaging others, as quickly as they’re sufficiently big to deal with. You can even sow straight into containers beneath cowl. Be very cautious to not over-water seedlings now, at all times water modules from beneath by sitting in water only for just a few seconds if essential, till you may really feel the compost starting to soak up it.  Watering modules from the highest may probably encourage illness and harm susceptible seedlings. 

(* Sow early Oct.  ** Sow late Oct.)

You can even nonetheless plant rooted watercress cuttings

Plant these in wealthy soil in a moist shady spot within the polytunnel or greenhouse, outdoors beneath cloches.  Watercress is definitely a perennial plant and can crop for a 12 months or longer if fed, watered and picked often to forestall flowering. I take recent cuttings from wholesome vegetation yearly in early autumn to supply my winter crops.  I

transfer it out of the polytunnel and planting it elsewhere in a shady spot for summer season. My present vegetation have been producing properly for at the very least 10 years now! Cowl with fleece if a tough frost is forecast, and hold an eye fixed out for late cabbage white butterfly caterpillars!

Garlic cloves might be sown/planted now each outdoors and in polytunnels or greenhouses

For a extremely early crop of massive bulbs subsequent 12 months – select agency, plump and wholesome outdoors cloves both from this 12 months’s crop, or purchase licensed virus-free ones from backyard centres – not supermarket-bought bulbs which can more than likely be unsuitable for this local weather and likewise could carry critical illnesses. 

I want to plant natural garlic bulbs – and these can be found from Fruit Hill Farm in Cork, the place they’ve a variety of types together with Morado – a high-allicin, actually good-tasting garlic which I like. Watch out to undergo packs in backyard centres and select the actually plump agency bulbs. Don’t purchase any which have sunken patches, really feel comfortable  or squashy, or are mouldy, as these have rotted and could also be diseased.

‘Christo’ is climate resistant, dependable, an excellent keeper and really hardy each in and out which can be spring planted, ‘Thermidrome’ and ‘Marco are ‘autumn planting’ varieties that are each glorious for rising in polytunnels, the place they produce big bulbs if planted now. Each have glorious flavour and are good keepers. All of those are good in polytunnels – whereas some varieties could want outdoors solely. The very centre cloves from the bulbs, which don’t produce good bulbs in a while, might be planted into pots to supply leafy inexperienced garlic shoots for ealy chopping for salads and many others. – slightly than losing them.

Saffron bulbs can nonetheless be planted

Many bulb corporations have good worth gives at the moment of 12 months, as that is late to be planting them. Bulbs will flower this 12 months after which like many different flower bulbs could take a 12 months off – but when well-fed whereas nonetheless in inexperienced leaf after flowering, they might not do that and can flower once more as regular subsequent 12 months.

None of those are laborious and quick guidelines

Because the climate is so unpredictable now. Climates can range broadly in particular person gardens and totally different elements of the nation. You could play it by ear relying on the situations and it’s possible you’ll have to adapt these directions in an effort to take note of your specific backyard microclimate – its side and soil, in addition to present climate forecasts. Situations can deteriorate instantly at the moment of 12 months, and each backyard is totally different – you’ll know your personal native local weather finest.

It’s additionally price saving a few of your personal seed from non-F1 hybrid forms of crops. This can save some huge cash and should even protect laborious to search out or disappearing varieties.  That is taking place more and more now with many smaller seed corporations being swallowed up by the large and highly effective Agrichemical/Pharmaceutical giants! 

Under is an image of a younger plant of ‘McGregor’s Favorite’ beetroot – a spread which I saved from extinction within the late Nineteen Eighties when Carters have been taken over by Dobies/Suttons and it was deleted from their catalogue. It’s an especially helpful, high-polyphenol phytonutrient cultivar which I exploit for salad leaves.

A observe on seed composts

I at all times use an natural, peat-free seed compost for sowing all my seeds. The model I exploit is Klasmann, which is on the market from Fruit Hill Farm in Cork, or from White’s Agri in Lusk, and likewise just a few backyard centres right here in Eire.  It is a superb, free-draining compost, which promotes wholesome seedlings – I’ve by no means misplaced any seedlings to ‘damping-off’ illness since utilizing this compost. 

Utilizing peat composts causes the discharge of enormous quantities of carbon, which contributes to local weather change and destroys a lot biodiversity – together with many vegetation which bees, bugs and different creatures rely upon – thereby inflicting lack of biodiversity. Destroying peat bogs additionally results in elevated flooding, because the carbon contained in bogs acts like an enormous sponge – absorbing water after which releasing it far more slowly into the surroundings. Peat composts are not a pure surroundings for vegetation as they’re additionally sterile, with no microbial life, they usually include artificial, fossil fuel-derived chemical vitamins, which additionally speed up local weather change. 

Make a cropping plan and begin to make tough drafts of your seed orders as quickly because the catalogues arrive or can be found on-line. Undergo this 12 months’s remaining seeds to see what will nonetheless be good for sowing subsequent 12 months. This avoids duplication, over-buying and prevents potential waste.

Rising suggestions for October – in addition to extra info on seed varieties, rising fruit, wildlife gardening and many others. might be discovered beneath the related diary entries for every month as they’re added to the diary. I additionally give seasonal rising and consuming suggestions at the start of every month on Gerry Kelly’s Late Lunch Present on LMFM radio – which you’ll be able to take heed to dwell or discover the podcast later, and likewise take heed to earlier ones on the ‘Pay attention’ button on my house web page.