There’s lots to do this month in the preparation for clearing areas and preparing soil for winter and next year’s crops, and so the list goes….
Clear any finished tomato plants in the polytunnel or greenhouse to make way for winter salads and spinach. Preserve tomatoes by making sauces and chutneys. Harvest any at the end of the month which are yet to ripen and leave on a warm windowsill or place in a drawer with a banana. The ethylene in the banana will help it ripen.
Plant new strawberry plants by detaching runners from the parent plant. Plant out and net spring cabbages. Keep harvesting courgettes; make soups, cakes, breads, use in stir fries, lasagnes, moussakas the list is endless. Remove sweetcorn, aubergine, cucumber and melon plants after harvesting. Plant potatoes in pots indoors for a yummy Christmas harvest to have a delightful dinner. Harvest maincrop potatoes. Save runner bean seeds for free seeds next year.
Plant your onion sets now ready for a lovely crop in summer. Try Japanese onion, salad and red. Protect them from birds as they’ll think the tops are worms, and pull them from the ground.
Prune summer fruiting raspberry canes after tying in next year’s growth. Remove any mummified fruit from apples, pears and plums.
Protect late sowings of carrots with fleece. Feed any celeriac seedlings and remove any soil from the stem to expose them to light. Bring any basil plants indoors for an autumn harvest.