Page 42 - Simply Vegetables Autumn 2023

October
I have mentioned sowing salad crops such as lettuce and corn salad for the
last few months. You can still sow them now but at this time of year I think that if you are growing them outside, they need protecting with cloches, or grow them in the greenhouse or polytunnel border. You should have room there when the summer crops have been cleared. The summer crops will have taken some nourishment from the soil, so fork over the soil and rake it level, raking in some more fertiliser. They can be sown direct but I still think they are better sown in cell trays and planted later, as I have said before.
Radishes are another crop that can
be sown now but these are better sown direct. I told you the varieties to sow now of lettuce, corn salad and radishes in August.
Two other seeds that can be sown
now are broad beans and peas for overwintering. They can be sown direct but I think they are better sown in small pots, one seed per pot. When they are planted out , they are best protected with cloches. For broad beans at this time of year, the varieties to sow are Aquadulce Claudia (D, S, M, R, F ) , Super aquadulce (B, F.), Luz de Otono (D, S, M, B, F.) and De Monica (D,
S, M, B ). For peas, by far the most popular variety is Douce de Provence ((D, S, R, B, F ).For the key to these suppliers, please see the top of the page.
You could also sow some herbs on the kitchen windowsill for winter use such as parsley, coriander and basil.
If you want some early sweet peas
next year, you can sow some now for overwintering. As I have said for some of the veg crops, they are better sown in small
Runner beans harvested regularly
pots than sown direct. You need a structure of canes such as a wigwam on which to grow them , or a fence.
So much for sowing , so what can we plant?. Whatever we plant this month should be done as soon as possible before the really cold weather comes. Onion sets and garlic can still be planted. I told you the varieties of onion sets to plant at this time of year in August and the varieties of garlic in September.
You may have brassicas ready for planting such as winter and spring cabbages, winter cauliflowers and broccoli. You should have room for them where the summer varieties of brassicas have been harvested. Just rake some more fertiliser into the ground first.
Rhubarb can now be planted , and also clumps of rhubarb can be dug up
and divided. When dividing rhubarb, see that each piece that you re-plant has at least one growing eye. Because they are
a permanent crop, prepare the ground thoroughly by removing weeds and digging in some organic matter such as rotted manure.
Earlier , I mentioned sowing salad crops but you may have some ready for planting from earlier sowings. They can be planted outside under cloches , but it is a good idea to plant them in the greenhouse border, as I said before.
There is still time to plant spring flowers such as wallflowers and sweet Williams and also spring bulbs, apart from tulips which are better left till November.
Blackberries can still be pruned by cutting out branches from which you have picked the fruit.
Seasonal jobs
Chrysanths cut for the house
Rudbeckia “Indian summer”
Dahlias from allotment
42 Simply Vegetables
KEY TO SUPPLIERS
D – Dobies
S – Suttons
B – Browns
F – Fothergills
R – Robinsons Sh – Shelleys M – Marshalls
DEREK BROOKS FNVS