Scott Meister presents a video explaining how to make compost with the Berkley Thermophilic Compost method. This method of composting takes advantage of thermophilic bacteria that quickly breakdown waste and turn it into nutritious black gold for your garden in around 18 days. Scott runs the The Potato House Permaculture Pension near Lake Yamanaka, the largest of five lakes at the base of world famous Mt. Fuji, Japan.
While you look forward to improving your soil with some lovely compost, here are a few ideas for what to do in the garden during October:
Plant garlic
October is the very best time to get your garlic in the ground for next summer’s harvest. The Garlic Farm on the Isle of Wight sells a great Garlic Lovers Selection Pack of 10 bulbs for planting, including full instructions on how to grow, how to avoid rust, and how to plait your garlic after harvest.
Sow for winter & early spring crops
Now’s the time to sow your spring cabbage, spring peas and winter greens. Here are some winter green ideas:
Saisai aka Leaf Radish: Grow in a greenhouse or cold frame over the winter. Good for salads and stir-fry.
Minutina: All year round salad leaf, and you can eat the flower buds too.
Mustards: You get lots of different ones, and most are winter hardy. Nice in salads and stir-fries.
There are lots of other vegetables that can go in at this time of year too: turnips, radishes, broad beans, carrots and spring onions.
Hoe weeds.
Pick and store herbs.
Save seeds.
It’s harvest time.
There’s plenty ready in the garden now: pears, raspberries, tomatoes, cucumbers, beetroot, beans, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbages, carrots, cauliflowers, kale, leeks, lettuce, onions, peppers, potatoes, radish, shallots, spinach, Swiss chard & more.
Maintenance
Cut down cane fruits when they’ve finished fruiting. Prune fruit trees once the fruit has been harvested.