What can I plant in October?
(UK Gardening Guide)
October is “groundwork” month. It’s time to clear spent crops, protect soil with mulch and plant overwintering staples like garlic. Small actions now make spring easier and improve soil health for next year.
What can you sow in October?
In October, sowing slows down, but there are still a few valuable jobs that give you a head start next year — especially planting garlic and finishing autumn sets.
If your soil is heavy, focus on drainage and avoid planting into sticky ground. Raised beds and containers can be a better option for garlic.
As temperatures drop, protecting seedlings from pigeons and cold winds becomes more important.
Vegetables to sow indoors or under cover
Garlic (modules if soil is wet)- Salad leaves (in a cold frame)
Vegetables to sow or plant outdoors
- Garlic cloves (well-drained soil)
- Autumn onion sets (finish planting)
- Overwintering broad beans (mild areas)
- Spring cabbage (plant out and net)
Tip: Mulching now protects soil from winter rain, reduces weeds and makes spring bed preparation easier.
Sproutly Gardening tip: Log where you planted garlic and onions so you can rotate beds next year and avoid repeated soil-borne problems.
October gardening tips and common mistakes
October mistakes are usually about soil conditions and hygiene. Keeping soil protected and removing problems now reduces pest and disease pressure next season.
- Planting garlic into waterlogged soil
Garlic hates wet feet. Improve drainage, use raised beds or start cloves in modules if the ground is too wet. - Leaving soil bare over winter
Bare soil compacts and leaches nutrients. Mulch with compost or sow a green manure where possible. - Composting diseased plant material
Remove blight and other diseases from the plot. Do not add infected debris to compost. - Forgetting bird protection
Brassicas are prime targets. Net spring cabbage and broad beans in exposed gardens. - Leaving supports out to rot
Clean and store canes and supports so they last, and so you start spring with good kit.
Sproutly Gardening tip: Use Sproutly to plan your winter tidy-up and log where you added mulch or green manures.
Garden planning and task management features
Sproutly Gardening helps you organise your plants, plan tasks and set reminders so nothing is forgotten.
Record your sowings
Track overwinter plantings like garlic and broad beans.
Plan upcoming jobs
Schedule mulching, netting and plot tidy-up tasks.
Set reminders
Don’t forget key autumn jobs while the weather changes.
Review your progress
Keep notes on soil improvements and what helped most.
Set up next year’s success. Track October plantings and soil care in Sproutly Gardening.
Gardening advice is provided as a general guide based on typical UK conditions. Weather soil and local climate can vary so always use your judgement and adjust timing as needed for your own garden.