It’s October and I have started planting out a row of various crops at the Springston patch. Thinking of the harvest and how different plants grow, I have planted:

  • Sunflowers to either cut and sell as flowers, or to cut and feed birds late into next winter when they are hunting for a feed. Sunflowers I noticed last year are quite frost hardy, and they protect other plants beneath.
  • Red, yellow and green runner beans that will climb the sunflowers.
  • Peas that also enjoy something to climb.
  • Zucchini of various styles, curly, zephyr, and more traditional ones.
  • Pumpkins if various types, orange, grey, big and small.
  • Luffas that will be cut up and used in washing.
  • Zinnias to add a burst of colour and possibly as a cut flower for sale or at least to freshen our house.
  • Broad beans as these fix nitrogen and also have great leaves for eating. Brilliant in a summer salad.
  • Crimson clover to help keep the nitrogen up and a crop that can be mowed between crops giving a valuable mulch.
  • Yarrow common white to increase pollination and to encourage bird life. Also for potential medicinal products.
  • Tomato’s in yellow, red and black.
  • Potatoes, ready for Xmas time
  • more to add.