October Succession Sowings: What You Can Still Plant This Month
Don’t let the dropping temperatures fool you—October is brimming with last-chance planting opportunities! With savvy succession sowings this month, you can enjoy fresh salads, greens, and even root crops through late autumn and into early winter. Here’s what you can still plant in October, plus growing tips to keep your plot productive.
What Can You Plant in October?
1. Salad Leaves & Quick Greens
- Winter purslane (claytonia)
- Corn salad (mâche/valerianella)
- Lamb’s lettuce
- Oriental greens: mizuna, mibuna, mustard, pak choi (best under cloches or in tunnels)
- Spinach (hardy types)
- Rocket/arugula (protected in colder spots)
- Winter-hardy lettuce: ‘Arctic King’, ‘Winter Gem’, ‘May Queen’
2. Radishes
- Sow for a quick late crop—harvest in 4–6 weeks under fleece or in the greenhouse.
3. Spring Onions/Scallions
- Choose hardy varieties (‘White Lisbon’) for overwintered spring growth.
4. Turnips & Baby Beets
- Quick-maturing types give baby roots and tasty tops—best for milder climates or under cover.
5. Broad Beans
- ‘Aquadulce Claudia’ and other autumn-sown types offer quick spring crops. Sow direct or in modules for planting later.
6. Peas (in mild climates or under protection)
- Overwintering varieties (‘Meteor’, ‘Eeearly Onward’) go in now for super-early pods in spring.
7. Herbs
- Parsley, coriander, and chervil will overwinter indoors or in a tunnel.
Tips for October Sowing Success
- Warm the soil: Use fleece, cloches, or a cold frame to up soil temps and boost speed.
- Choose quick/short-season varieties: Focus on “baby” crops and cut-and-come-again types.
- Sow more densely: Harvest thinnings as baby greens.
- Mind the weather: Sow on a mild spell, and water in gently.
Why Bother with October Sowings?
- Fresh food: Harvest greens and roots when supermarket options are limited.
- Garden continuity: Avoid bare soil, keep soil biology active, and fight off weeds.
- Jump-start spring: Many overwintered crops grow faster and yield earlier come next year.
Wrapping Up
With a little October planning, you can stretch the harvest, enjoy winter salads, and get a spring jump with autumn-sown roots and greens. It’s not too late—grab a packet, prep the soil, and sow for a last blast of garden bounty!