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Even though the clocks have changed and there’s no escaping the march towards winter it’s still possible to find some plants which can be sown at this time of the year. Peas and beans, members of the legume family, are a hardy bunch and offer gardeners a late autumn sowing fix. Broad beans if sown now will provide you with a much earlier crop than spring sown plants.
October is the month for English apples and a good summer this year means there should be plenty available. It’s also a good time to seek out and try some of the varieties which aren’t sold in the shops. There are over 2,000 apple varieties, yet supermarkets usually only carry around 6 of them at a time.
Now the late summer Bank Holiday is out of the way, my thoughts have turned to sowing my final batches of salad leaves for the winter. You may think that’s a strange activity but a recent episode of Radio 4’s The Food Programme highlighted the demand for winter salads has increased enormously over the past few years.
Butterflies are a good indicator of a healthy garden as their abundance means it will also be rich in other invertebrates. They look good, are fun to watch and they’re a great way of getting children interested in the natural world.
A visit to a garden or show is my favourite way of seeking fresh inspiration for my plot and going on holiday means there are opportunities to explore even further afield. Finding a new garden is always a highlight of time I spend away from home.