HARVEST WINTER RADISH
Continue to harvest winter radish as described in our main article on radishes by clicking here.

The growing year in the raised bed and container garden is coming to an end. Time to review how the year has gone and maybe make notes for next year.

PRUNE AUTUMN FRUITING RASPBERRIES

If you are growing autumn fruiting raspberries in containers then the end of this month is a good time to prune them. This is an easy task! Simple prune them to about 3cm / 1in above ground level. Use a sharp pair of secateurs so that the stems are cut clean rather than crushed.

If you plan to grow French Beans next year then keep the pruned raspberry twigs, they are ideal for providing support for French Beans. Just keep the twigs in your shed or in a sheltered place over winter and use them in the spring when the French beans start to need support, they should last a couple of years.

HARVEST PARSNIPS
Now is the time to harvest your first parsnip after all that time growing in your raised bed / container! Because the roots taper to a point and beyond that there are fibrous roots, it’s best to take a trowel and dig in deep around the root to loosen its hold on soil. Grip the leaves where they join the root and gently teases the parsnip from the soil.

Only harvest parsnips when the are needed because they will keep best in the soil until they are required. The final harvest can be as late as
mid-January.

PLANT TULIPS IN CONTAINERS

Tulips are ideal for planting in containers at this time of year. We would recommend going for the dwarf ones in pots. The pot should be reasonably deep because bulbs are generally planted at about a depth that is two and a half times the size of the bulb. You can cram in the container for immediate impact next spring, they will do just fine. Use normal multi-purpose compost in the pot and keep them in the warmest position you can find outside – up against a house wall is ideal.

WATER WHEN NEEDED
There should be little need of water in October but occasionally an Indian summer strikes and the weather turns unseasonably hot.

PREVIOUS AND FUTURE WEEKS DIARIES

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