Which Plants Can I Sow or Grow in October?
From bulbs to broad beans, there are lots of things you can plant, both inside and out, in early autumn
Claudia De Yong
6 October 2019
Houzz UK contributor and award-winning landscape and garden designer. Claudia de Yong Designs offers a consultancy and design service for the private and corporate client. We are also able to source anything for the garden from plants to pots, paving and architectural features . Please visit my new online shop for garden products.
Houzz UK contributor and award-winning landscape and garden designer. Claudia de... More
Summer may be over, but there are still plenty of plants you can grow in October. Here are a few suggestions of flowers and crops that will do best if planted now, and some tips on how and where to grow them.
Plants to grow directly in herbaceous beds
Bulbs Hardy, summer-flowering Allium, lilies and Crocosmia can all be planted outside in October. Daffodil bulbs can also be planted to naturalise in grass or in the borders.
Plant the bulbs at two or three times their depth and at least twice the bulb’s own width apart. Make sure the nose or shoot is facing upwards and, if the ground is moist, don’t worry about watering. Avoid treading on the soil, as this can damage the bulbs.
Hardy annuals Some hardy annual seeds can still be sown outdoors, including cornflowers, larkspur and annual poppies. You can also sow wildflower seeds directly in the ground.
Trees and shrubs October is generally the best time to plant hedges, move trees and shrubs, and also plant climbers, especially if they’ve been pot-grown.
Discover more advice about planting bulbs in your garden.
Bulbs Hardy, summer-flowering Allium, lilies and Crocosmia can all be planted outside in October. Daffodil bulbs can also be planted to naturalise in grass or in the borders.
Plant the bulbs at two or three times their depth and at least twice the bulb’s own width apart. Make sure the nose or shoot is facing upwards and, if the ground is moist, don’t worry about watering. Avoid treading on the soil, as this can damage the bulbs.
Hardy annuals Some hardy annual seeds can still be sown outdoors, including cornflowers, larkspur and annual poppies. You can also sow wildflower seeds directly in the ground.
Trees and shrubs October is generally the best time to plant hedges, move trees and shrubs, and also plant climbers, especially if they’ve been pot-grown.
Discover more advice about planting bulbs in your garden.
Winter crops to sow in a vegetable patch
There are many vegetables that can be grown in winter and produce earlier crops than spring plantings. A great number of vegetables are fully hardy and will cope with winter weather. If hard frost threatens, just use a fleece for extra protection.
Garlic If you haven’t already planted garlic, you can do so now, as it needs a cold spell to grow well. If, however, the ground is too wet outside, you can plant the cloves in modules in a well-ventilated cold frame ready to plant out later in the winter or early spring.
Put one clove in each cell, with the tip of each clove just poking out from the top of the soil.
Onions The sooner onions go in the soil outdoors the better before winter sets in. Plant in drills that are 7.5cm apart and cover the top of the onion set with soil.
Broad beans A good broad bean to try is the aptly named ‘Aquadulce Claudia’. It’s a tasty, long-podded, white-seeded broad bean that’s early to mature. The seeds are quite large, so plant them at 15cm intervals, and cover them with a cloche or fleece to detract mice.
Cabbage This is the last month to plant spring cabbage outside. Make sure you net the plants to keep birds away, and harvest every other plant to use as spring greens – leave the others in the row ‘heart up’ (develop a firm head).
There are many vegetables that can be grown in winter and produce earlier crops than spring plantings. A great number of vegetables are fully hardy and will cope with winter weather. If hard frost threatens, just use a fleece for extra protection.
Garlic If you haven’t already planted garlic, you can do so now, as it needs a cold spell to grow well. If, however, the ground is too wet outside, you can plant the cloves in modules in a well-ventilated cold frame ready to plant out later in the winter or early spring.
Put one clove in each cell, with the tip of each clove just poking out from the top of the soil.
Onions The sooner onions go in the soil outdoors the better before winter sets in. Plant in drills that are 7.5cm apart and cover the top of the onion set with soil.
Broad beans A good broad bean to try is the aptly named ‘Aquadulce Claudia’. It’s a tasty, long-podded, white-seeded broad bean that’s early to mature. The seeds are quite large, so plant them at 15cm intervals, and cover them with a cloche or fleece to detract mice.
Cabbage This is the last month to plant spring cabbage outside. Make sure you net the plants to keep birds away, and harvest every other plant to use as spring greens – leave the others in the row ‘heart up’ (develop a firm head).
Winter salads You can sow salad leaves by filling a container with multi-purpose compost and scattering the seeds over the surface. Alternatively, sow them directly into the soil of a raised bed or vegetable plot. Do this in rows, so if any weeds grow, you can easily distinguish the crop.
As most salad seeds are very small, it’s best to make a shallow drill and cover them with a thin layer of compost. Don’t be afraid to sow the seeds closer together than you would for more mature plants, as the leaves on these salads are harvested early.
If you water the drill before sowing, the seeds will have a better chance of germinating. They’ll also be in close contact with moist soil, which will prevent them dispersing when water is sprayed over them afterwards.
Keep the seeds well watered and frequently remove weeds that pop up around them.
For an outdoor winter variety of lettuce to harvest in January, try ‘Winter Density’. Make sure you cover the seedlings with cloches and thin out to about 15cm apart.
For help planning your outdoor space, find garden designers and landscape architects in your area.
As most salad seeds are very small, it’s best to make a shallow drill and cover them with a thin layer of compost. Don’t be afraid to sow the seeds closer together than you would for more mature plants, as the leaves on these salads are harvested early.
If you water the drill before sowing, the seeds will have a better chance of germinating. They’ll also be in close contact with moist soil, which will prevent them dispersing when water is sprayed over them afterwards.
Keep the seeds well watered and frequently remove weeds that pop up around them.
For an outdoor winter variety of lettuce to harvest in January, try ‘Winter Density’. Make sure you cover the seedlings with cloches and thin out to about 15cm apart.
For help planning your outdoor space, find garden designers and landscape architects in your area.
Seeds and plants to nurture on a windowsill
Cress Lepidium sativum, or cress, is one of the easiest plants to grow indoors on a windowsill all year round.
Sow on moist (not waterlogged) tissue or cotton wool, gently pressing the seeds to ensure contact. If you sow the seeds in a container, stretch some clingfilm over the top to ensure moisture won’t escape.
As germination can be as quick as 24 hours, this is a great plant to grow with children. The shoots will be long enough to cut within five to seven days. It will only survive on damp tissue for a few weeks, though, as there aren’t any nutrients, but you can prolong the growth by sowing on damp compost in a 15cm pot.
Flowering plants Sweet pea seeds can also be sown to grow on a cool, light windowsill at this time of year.
Exotic plants, such as Phalaenopsis (orchid) and sweet-scented Zygopetalum, which is easier to grow, make great windowsill plants. And don’t forget the many varieties of Pelargonium, an essential winter houseplant.
Cress Lepidium sativum, or cress, is one of the easiest plants to grow indoors on a windowsill all year round.
Sow on moist (not waterlogged) tissue or cotton wool, gently pressing the seeds to ensure contact. If you sow the seeds in a container, stretch some clingfilm over the top to ensure moisture won’t escape.
As germination can be as quick as 24 hours, this is a great plant to grow with children. The shoots will be long enough to cut within five to seven days. It will only survive on damp tissue for a few weeks, though, as there aren’t any nutrients, but you can prolong the growth by sowing on damp compost in a 15cm pot.
Flowering plants Sweet pea seeds can also be sown to grow on a cool, light windowsill at this time of year.
Exotic plants, such as Phalaenopsis (orchid) and sweet-scented Zygopetalum, which is easier to grow, make great windowsill plants. And don’t forget the many varieties of Pelargonium, an essential winter houseplant.
Winter salads As well as growing them outdoors, you can sow cut-and-come-again salads right through the winter months on a windowsill. The young leaves will be ready to eat in just three weeks and, by harvesting them frequently, you’ll prevent the plants from becoming too mature and ensure at least three crops.
Plants to try include lettuce, mizen, parsley, red kale, rocket, sorrel, spinach, mustard, pak choi, coriander, radicchio and salad mix varieties.
Harvest the leaves in the morning when they’re at their freshest. Try to take only what you need each day, as the leaves will wilt very quickly.
Herbs These will grow happily on the windowsill and provide months of greenery and culinary seasoning.
Plants to try include lettuce, mizen, parsley, red kale, rocket, sorrel, spinach, mustard, pak choi, coriander, radicchio and salad mix varieties.
Harvest the leaves in the morning when they’re at their freshest. Try to take only what you need each day, as the leaves will wilt very quickly.
Herbs These will grow happily on the windowsill and provide months of greenery and culinary seasoning.
Plants to keep warm in a greenhouse or cold frame
Flowering plants Flowers you can start under cover now to plant out in the spring include Aquilegia, sweet peas, hollyhocks and oriental poppies.
Sow five or six sweet pea seeds to a 12cm container, and pot up the young plants in the springtime.
Herbs These can be grown in the greenhouse or cold frame over winter. In particular, Mediterranean herbs, such as narrow-leaved sage, thyme and parsley, will all benefit from being out of the cold and wet and will be quite happy under glass.
Bulbs Paperwhite narcissus are lovely scented bulbs that will only take six weeks to flower from planting, and will fill the home with amazing winter fragrance.
Growing paperwhites in the greenhouse is easy, as, unlike other narcissus, they don’t need a cold period before blooming. You can either grow them in a bowl of water without drainage holes amid pebbles, or in soil in pots, but they need a deep container, as they have a huge roots mass.
Flowering plants Flowers you can start under cover now to plant out in the spring include Aquilegia, sweet peas, hollyhocks and oriental poppies.
Sow five or six sweet pea seeds to a 12cm container, and pot up the young plants in the springtime.
Herbs These can be grown in the greenhouse or cold frame over winter. In particular, Mediterranean herbs, such as narrow-leaved sage, thyme and parsley, will all benefit from being out of the cold and wet and will be quite happy under glass.
Bulbs Paperwhite narcissus are lovely scented bulbs that will only take six weeks to flower from planting, and will fill the home with amazing winter fragrance.
Growing paperwhites in the greenhouse is easy, as, unlike other narcissus, they don’t need a cold period before blooming. You can either grow them in a bowl of water without drainage holes amid pebbles, or in soil in pots, but they need a deep container, as they have a huge roots mass.
Remember to collect seeds
Now is the time to collect any ripening seeds from summer-flowering plants before they’re shed, ready for planting next year. Do leave some seed heads on for birds, though, especially if a harsh winter is forecast. Seed heads on some plants also look attractive in the winter garden.
After plants have finished flowering, collect the seeds and store them in paper bags in a cool, dry place until you’re ready to sow them. Seeds can be stored on the bottom shelf of the fridge in an airtight container.
If you’re unsure of what seeds you’ve collected and have forgotten to label the packet or container, you can always sow half of them now to find out, and store the other half to sow in the springtime.
Tell us…
What will you be growing in October? Share your ideas in the Comments section.
Now is the time to collect any ripening seeds from summer-flowering plants before they’re shed, ready for planting next year. Do leave some seed heads on for birds, though, especially if a harsh winter is forecast. Seed heads on some plants also look attractive in the winter garden.
After plants have finished flowering, collect the seeds and store them in paper bags in a cool, dry place until you’re ready to sow them. Seeds can be stored on the bottom shelf of the fridge in an airtight container.
If you’re unsure of what seeds you’ve collected and have forgotten to label the packet or container, you can always sow half of them now to find out, and store the other half to sow in the springtime.
Tell us…
What will you be growing in October? Share your ideas in the Comments section.
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Love the tips on what herbs to plant I am definately going to be trying some of these. I'm a bit late putting in my bulbs this year. I usually put all my bulbs in the ground regardless of planting time and they always look fab. This year I've turned my focus to having a bit more curb appeal and am hoping for a show of Hyacinths, Tulips and a very large show of a mix of Allium giganteum, Allium Mount Everest, allium Christophi and Allium Moli. Isn't it fun putting things in the ground and seeing them come ti life :-)
Another lovely article from Claudia. Thanks again.
I probably won’t be able to do anything with my garden this year, but hopefully next ...
this greenhouse is to die for