Autumn is creeping in and we’re enjoying the last of the year’s warmth. If you’re growing your own food you may well have lots of tasty things to harvest. There’s also plenty of time to keep on top of tidying and plant maintenance throughout the month.
Things we’re doing in our gardens this month:
Net ponds to reduce the amount of leaves and other debris from building up in the water
Clean out greenhouses and start watering plants earlier in the day so the greenhouse can dry out before evening
Plant spring-flowering bulbs
We’re especially keen on planting some different daffodil varieties this year, such as the Narcissus ‘Replete’
And of course, stocking up on some English Bluebells.
Keep deadheading your flowers to encourage extended flowering until the weather turns
It’s time to harvest sweetcorn. To test if it’s ready, pinch a kernel. If it’s ripe then a milky sap will come out. If it’s watery then it’s not quite ready yet.
Tidy strawberry plants and clear away used straw
Pick ripe apples
Remove the foliage off potatoes 3 weeks before lifting them
Spread out harvested potatoes to dry before storing them in a cool and dark place
Remove any leaves that may be shading your pumpkins. This will help them ripen in time for Halloween.
Raise pumpkins and squashed off the ground eg. Place them on a piece of wood, to prevent rotting
Clear weeds and old crops
Remove rotting fruits from trees
Mow lawn, particularly under fruit trees to help you spot any fruit that has fallen
Pick blackberries when they’re ready
Raise height of your mower blades
Aerate and rake your lawn to prevent waterlogging
Prep your compost bins in preparation for incoming the fallen leaves
When we’re not making ourselves busy in the garden, we’re reading Skye Gyngell’s recipes. We love her zero-waste approach. This recipe is perfect for using some of those home-grown vegetables and herbs, and for cooler autumn evenings.
