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Monty Don shared a photo of productive raised beds, prompting a reminder that home growing can continue in October. A gardening expert cited in Ideal Home recommends sowing peas, salad leaves and broad beans, planting garlic and onions, and considering bare-root fruit trees and bushes.
Monty Don’s productive raised beds, shown in a photo shared on Instagram, have drawn attention to what gardeners can still grow in October. An Ideal Home report says autumn planting can include peas, salad leaves, broad beans, garlic and onions, offering a way to keep growing food after summer without suggesting that a small garden plot can replace regular shopping.
Ideal Home described Don’s beds as containing cauliflowers, brassicas and leafy greens. The image serves as a seasonal reminder: while some summer crops may be finished, October is not necessarily the end of the growing year. The report also notes that gardeners can use the month to prepare raised beds for winter and spring.
Christopher O’Donoghue, director of Gardens Revived, told Ideal Home that peas, salad leaves and broad beans can still be sown, while garlic and onions are options to plant. He also recommended making room for kale and cauliflower, and keeping herbs close at hand. The report does not specify varieties or regional planting schedules for all of these crops, so local conditions may affect what is suitable.
For longer-term planting, O’Donoghue said autumn is a good time for bare-root fruit trees and bushes, including apples, pears, blackberries and gooseberries. Don’s separate advice, as quoted in the report, is to add about an inch of garden compost to cleared raised beds and leave it for worms to work into the soil over winter. He singled out ‘Aquadulce’ broad beans as a choice to sow outdoors for a possible harvest the following May or June.
Small Autumn Crops, Practical Returns
The advice matters to gardeners who assume that sowing and planting must stop once summer ends. October planting can extend the growing season, with some crops providing food during colder months and others being prepared for harvest in spring or later years. Don’s beds offer a visible example, while the recommendations give readers specific options rather than a general call to keep gardening.
Home-grown produce can add ingredients to meals, but the report cautions against treating a few beds as a replacement for the weekly shop. The potential benefit is modest and depends on what is planted, how well it grows and the space available. Composting cleared beds is another practical step: it allows soil preparation to continue over winter, before sowing and planting resume in spring.
raised garden beds for autumn planting
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Don’s Beds and October Planting
The Ideal Home report frames Don’s Instagram photo against a familiar seasonal pattern: spring sowing and summer harvesting followed by an apparent end to growing. Its central point is that autumn can remain productive, though the crops and jobs change as temperatures fall and daylight shortens.
The article also places vegetable planting alongside other October garden tasks, such as preparing beds and considering fruit trees and bushes. Don’s advice on adding compost applies to beds as they become clear. The report’s recommendation to sow ‘Aquadulce’ broad beans is linked to an early harvest in May or June, rather than an immediate winter crop.
“October is a great time to keep growing your own, rather than packing everything away until spring.”
— Christopher O’Donoghue, director of Gardens Revived, quoted by Ideal Home
Local Conditions Shape the Results
The report does not give a precise publication date, identify where Don’s beds are located, or provide details about the growing conditions shown in the Instagram photo. It also does not set out region-by-region planting guidance or guarantee that every crop listed will succeed in every garden. Weather, soil and available space can affect results, and the source offers no yield estimates or cost comparison for growing at home.
Planting and Bed Preparation
For gardeners following the advice, the next steps described in the report are to choose crops suited to their space and local conditions, sow or plant them in October, and add about an inch of compost to cleared raised beds. Don’s suggestion is to let worms work the compost into the soil over winter, readying the beds for spring.
Those considering fruit trees or bushes can look into bare-root planting, while anyone choosing broad beans can note Don’s suggested May or June harvest for ‘Aquadulce’. The report does not announce a new project or scheduled follow-up from Don; what happens next for individual gardeners will depend on their planting choices and the season’s growing conditions.
Key Questions
What vegetables can gardeners still plant in October?
Ideal Home quotes gardener Christopher O’Donoghue recommending peas, salad leaves, broad beans, garlic and onions. He also suggests considering kale and cauliflower, though suitability depends on local conditions.
What did Monty Don recommend doing with raised beds?
As quoted in the report, Don recommends spreading about an inch of garden compost over cleared raised beds and leaving it for worms to work into the soil over winter.
When might ‘Aquadulce’ broad beans be harvested?
Don’s advice, as reported by Ideal Home, is that outdoor-sown ‘Aquadulce’ broad beans could provide an early harvest in May or June. The report does not guarantee a harvest date.
Can October planting replace buying vegetables?
No such claim is made in the report. It says a few home-grown vegetables, salad leaves or herbs may make a welcome contribution, but will not necessarily replace the weekly shop.
Source: rss
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