What to sow outdoors in October

There are special winter crops you can sow in October to produce harvests in late winter or early spring. These include sprouting broccoli and winter peas. These plants are perfect for late sowings because they’re frost-hardy and prefer low temperatures. Sprouting broccoli develops small, tender shoots that can be harvested in late winter, while winter peas grow slowly through the winter and produce fresh pea pods early in spring.

As well as sowing these winter crops October is the perfect time to plant garlic. Winter garlic develops through the winter for harvesting the following year, producing an early crop in spring. This is also the perfect time for sowing winter green manures like winter rye and winter vetch. These plants protect the soil, improving its structure and preventing erosion through the winter months.