October: This Month in your Garden
VEGETABLE GARDEN
Now that the warmer weather is here, there’s no better place to be than out your garden! October is an exciting month in the garden – you’ll have plenty to keep you busy. In most areas, your last frost would have passed, and a plethora of summer vegies can now go into the ground. Here’s a list to get you started:
- Main sowing of all tender vegetables, such as cucumbers, pumpkin, and melons may be made.
- Complete planting of potatoes. Spray with a fungicide such as ChampION Copper or Bravo to combat early blight.
- Plant kumara plants.
- Keep cabbages dusted with Derris Dust or a similar product to protect plants from white butterfly caterpillars.
- If you haven’t already, it’s time to plant everyone’s favourite – Tomatoes. Don’t forget companion plants such as basil and marigolds.
- If your tomatoes are already in the ground (or in pots!), pinch out laterals on plants that are beginning to make rapid growth.
- Apply fortnightly dressings of Thrive soluble fertiliser to all crops.
- Cultivate the soil to control weeds. Chances are you’ll need to get stuck into the weeding, especially after rain! Get them young – aim to never let a weed seed.
GLASSHOUSES/GREENHOUSES/WARMER AREAS
If you live in a warmer area, or are lucky enough to have a glasshouse or greenhouse to grow you vegies in, October is the time to try some of these:
- Capsicum, spring onions, pumpkins, squash, cucumber, zucchini, sweet corn, melons
- Got a herb garden? Try basil, parsley, sage, lemongrass, oregano, marjoram, and mint
COOLER AREAS
Here’s some things to try if you live in a cooler area:
- Cabbage, celery, leeks, lettuce, silverbeet, spring onions, Brussels sprouts, capsicums, chillies, eggplants, artichoke, and beetroot
- Try climbing beans. Build a trellis or archway in your patch, and grow these over the top. It looks great, doesn’t take up much space, and makes it easier to pick the beans
- In the herb patch, try some parsley, calendula, chamomile, marigolds, oregano, sage, rosemary, thyme, and mint
TEMPERATE AREAS
Try these in you glasshouse or greenhouse, or outside if you live in a temperate area:
- Artichoke, beetroots, cabbage, capsicum, carrots, chillies, eggplants, French beans, leeks, lettuce, parsnip, potatoes, sweet corn and watermelon
- For some herbs try basil, parsley, sage, lemongrass, oregano, mint and marjoram.
