3 min read
Autumn green manures: choose a cover and plan its end
Rye, vetch and field beans do different jobs. Choose according to sowing conditions, soil and the next crop, then decide how you will terminate the cover.
- Autumn
- Green manure
- Soil
The blog
Marmanda's notebook.
Long, sourced articles about the vegetable garden: what to plant and when, which pairings actually hold up, how to read a sowing calendar.
4 min read
Vegetable garden mulch: leaves, grass cuttings or wood chips
Compare leaf mulch and other garden materials by crop, bed and season. Learn where to spread them, when to uncover a seed row and what to check beneath the cover.
- Autumn
- Mulch
- Small garden
- Soil
3 min read
Sowing garden peas: varieties, method and seasons
For UK gardens, sow peas outdoors from March once the soil reaches about 10°C. Match row layout and support to plant height, and use repeat sowings for a longer harvest.
- Autumn
- Calendar
- Peas
- Sowing
3 min read
When to plant shallots: types, timing and method
In a UK garden, plant most shallot sets in spring and reserve autumn or winter planting for suitable varieties and free-draining ground. Learn the spacing and planting method.
- Autumn
- Calendar
- Shallot
- Planting
3 min read
Sowing broad beans: spacing, depth and care
In the UK, sow broad beans outdoors in March, April or early May. Autumn or February sowing is for mild or sheltered sites with hardy varieties; follow the RHS depth and spacing for your method.
- Autumn
- Calendar
- Broad bean
- Sowing
3 min read
Winter lettuce: sowing, transplanting and protection
In the UK, sow a winter lettuce variety in September or October under cover, or in a mild garden under a cloche or cold frame. Thin and protect plants according to their type and site.
- Autumn
- Lettuce
- Planting
- Sowing
3 min read
Sowing spinach: germination and successive harvests
In the UK, sow spinach in cool weather in mid to late spring or late summer to early autumn. Choose a hardy variety for an overwintering crop, then thin seedlings and pick leaves in succession.
- Autumn
- Calendar
- Spinach
- Sowing
3 min read
Protecting a vegetable garden from frost: what to cover
Identify the crops most exposed to frost, choose between fleece and a tunnel, then secure and monitor the cover. Practical steps for seedlings, pots and established beds.
- Autumn
- Frost
- Small garden
- Planting
3 min read
Planting garlic in autumn: timing, spacing and depth
Autumn garlic succeeds less through an exact date than through drainage, healthy cloves and coherent spacing. A complete method from choosing bulbs to harvest.
- Garlic
- Autumn
- Planting
3 min read
Growing lamb's lettuce: when to sow, thin and harvest
Lamb's lettuce is easy once established. The challenge is a shallow sowing, cool moist soil and a date that leaves enough light for growth before winter.
- Autumn
- Lamb's lettuce
- Sowing
Turn the reading into a garden.
Marmanda turns this advice into a dated, placed plan for your own plot.