October - overview
This is the month when frost will kill off any tender annual
plants such as courgette and marrow. The days are getting shorter
and the amount of growth will slow down as plants that over
winter will become dormant. Any Marrows and Pumpkins should
be picked in early October to prevent frost damage. They can
be stored in a cool frost free place and will last up to the
end of December
Towards
the end of the month is a good time to plant Garlic, you can buy
a bulb locally from the shops. Split the bulb into individual
cloves and plant just so the tip is showing. Keep a check on them
to make sure birds don't pull them out. Although we associate
garlic with a warm Mediterranean climate, the garlic cloves first
need the cold and then warmth to grow; they should be ready in
following July.
Fruit bushes can be pruned; currant bushes need one third of their
growth taking out. Gooseberry bushes need a general tidy up removing
any dead wood and keep the centre of the plant open. Raspberry
canes; the old wood needs removing and the new season's growth
tying in. Autumn raspberries need cutting right back as they fruit
on the new seasons growth. Sort out the pruned wood and any pieces
that are about 3ft tall with stout branches save for using as
pea stick support.
Perennial plants such as asparagus, rhubarb and globe artichoke;
their foliage will start to die off as the plants get ready to
prepare for winter, as soon as they have, clear away the dead
foliage and top dress around the crowns with straw based manure
as this will improve the soil and help to protect the plants against
frosts.
Early
in the month, the onion crop harvested in August should now be
dried and can be strung as onion ropes. Check the bulbs for damage,
particularly any that have soft or thick necks, put to one side
for immediate use. If stored in a cool frost free place they should
last until spring.
It is worth making a note of where crops were grown so that you
can rotate using a 3 year plan. To do this effectively you need
three areas:
1) Brassicas; (cabbage, turnip, swede, broccoli etc)
2) Roots; (Potato carrot beetroot, parsnip etc)
3) Others; (Pea,
Bean, sweetcorn, courgette, onion etc).
To plant the same vegetables in the same area can build up pests
and disease, this way one variety of vegetable is grown on the
same land every fourth year. Other benefit to crop rotation is
peas and beans; their roots lock nitrogen into the soil which
will benefit a different crop the following year.
Now is a good time for testing the soil PH to see how much acid/alkaline
is present. This is particularly important for Brassica crops
which prefer an alkaline soil. Most crops benefit from a neutral
to alkaline, if your soil is too "sweet" (acid) now
is the time to lime.
Check
the compost bins as compost will rot down faster over the summer
months than the winter, if there is dark loamy soil at this time
of the year it can be spread out on the land or dug in to the
soil.
Key dates:
If you have any advice or tips about gardening relating to
this month contact us and if suitable will add to the page - please
local to Haworth and the surrounding area only.
