October Growing: Seeds to Sow, Soil to Prepare and a Marrow Curry

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October may bring shorter days and cooler temperatures, but there is still plenty to do in the productive garden. In this week’s episode, I’m sowing crops for winter and next spring, preparing allotment beds, making a warming marrow curry and checking in on Alysda and Lisa’s new vegetable garden.

Seeds to Sow in October

Rather than choosing a single seed of the month, I’m looking at everything I plan to sow. Broad beans and peas can be started for overwintering in a suitable, sheltered position. Onion sets offer a quick route to next year’s crop, while onions from seed provide more choice for growers who can give them an early start.

Winter salad leaves and corn salad will keep small harvests coming through the colder months. Chillies will be started under heat and grow lights because they benefit from a long season. I’m also thinking ahead to companion flowers and spring bulbs that will provide colour and food for pollinators.

The seeds mentioned in this episode are available from Premier Seeds Direct.

Preparing the Allotment

The garlic has sprouted well, a marrow has been harvested and the tomatoes are beginning to show blight. The main allotment task, however, has been uncovering and preparing the beds for overwintering broad beans and peas. After moving the rhubarb pots and lifting the weed-suppressing membrane, I hoed out the remaining weeds and added compost. I’ll keep hoeing until planting time.

Field beans have also gone into another bed as green manure. Their roots can help break up clay soil, and the plants can support soil fertility. I’ll cut them down before flowering, leave the roots in place and return the top growth to the soil.

This weeks recipe

This weeks recipe is a delicous marrow curry which took Richard by surprise as he normally finds marrow a little boring. But this recipe made the marrow exciting that now he wants to grow more marrows just to cook this recipe

A Productive Garden Takes Shape

Alysda and Lisa have made good progress clearing trees for their first vegetable garden. The ground is flinty and currently looks like a building site, but the winter plan is clear: level the soil, secure the underground IBC water tank, lay hardcore and choose fruit trees. Establishing the infrastructure now will make the productive parts of the garden much easier to manage later.

Listen to the full episode for the complete allotment update, the recorded conversation with Alysda and Lisa, and more thoughts on what to sow this month.

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• Premier seeds direct for all your seed needs
• Autopot uk a revolutionary watering system for growing the best veg easily. User discount code auto10rvg for 10%off