What to Plant in October in the UK
October is a useful month to prepare for cooler weather, protect crops and consider a few suitable hardy sowings. Exact timings depend on your location and conditions.
What can you sow in October?
Some broad bean varieties are suitable for autumn sowing in mild, well-drained locations. Garlic is also commonly planted in autumn, with timing depending on variety and conditions. Winter salad leaves can be started under protection, but growth will slow as days shorten.
What should you do in a small garden?
Clear spent summer crops, collect fallen leaves for compost where appropriate, and check drainage in containers. Move vulnerable pots to a sheltered spot and prepare fleece or other frost protection for tender plants.
What about tomatoes and French beans?
Outdoor tomatoes and French beans are frost-tender. October is generally a time to finish harvesting and clear these crops rather than sow new outdoor plants.
Make a simple plan for next year
Write down which containers got the most sunlight, what grew well and which crops you enjoyed eating. Use this to choose a manageable number of crops for spring.
Plan your little growing space
Choose your growing space and sunlight to get beginner-friendly crops and an estimated 12-month sowing calendar.
Make my free plan →General UK horticultural information only. Always check local weather, frost risk and crop variety. See the RHS guide to vegetables in containers for more detail.