Five Things You Should Do In October

The landscape is now awash with hues of yellow, orange and red. The golden hour comes earlier each day and Jack Frost is at our door waiting to come inside.

Harvest your apples and pears for storage

Apples and pears can last for months if they are stored correctly. When choosing the fruit to store, make sure that it is not blemished for bruised. Wrap each apple in newspaper and store in a cool, dark place. Pears do not need to be wrapped. The fruit can either be stored in a tray or on a shelf, but make sure the fruit is not touching one another. Check your fruit regularly to see if any have deteriorated and remove them, so that they do not cause the rest of the fruit to spoil.

Remove nets from your fruit

Fruit bushes and strawberry patches should be de-netted now so that the last of the fruits can be picked off and any little critters can escape. Now is also a good time to cut back our fruit bushes and tidy the strawberry patch.

Gather leaves for leaf mold

Leaf mold is a fantastic source of nutrients for your soil, so now is the perfect time to utilise this resource. Gather leaves from around your plot (make sure no creatures are preparing to hibernate!), shred or cut the leaves and leave in a composter for 6-12 months.

Plant your spring bulbs

Many bulbs need a cool period to produce plenty of flowers in the spring. Plant your spring bulbs in pots and borders to ensure a wonderful display. If you are planting your bulbs in a large pot, you can layer the bulbs for continuous flowering.

Pick and harden off your pumpkins and squash

Your pumpkins and squash should be ready to pick by now. Cut them off the vine and leave them in the sun, cold frame or greenhouse to harden. The harder the skins are, the longer they will store for in the right conditions. Pumpkins and squash can be used in a plethora of recipes and are quite versatile, but personally I like to use them in soups. You can check out a couple of my pumpkin soup recipes here on the website.

Here’s what you can sow in October:

– Round seeded peas – Broad beans; most varieties – Cauliflower; All Year Round, Snowball, Orkney, Gypsy – Swiss Chard; Bright Lights – Sweet Peas; most varieties – Poppies – Lupines