TV gardening expert Adam Frost
GARDENING - Veg
“They are going to arrive bare-root, but you can probably still get the back end of the containerised plants. If you want to add any fanned fruit it’s a good time to plan it.”
TV gardener Adam Frost on starting off fruit and veg in autumn By Hannah Stephenson, PA As autumn approaches, it’s a good time to think about what fruit and veg you want to sow and grow for this year and next. TV gardener Adam Frost, landscape designer and a regular on BBC Gardeners’ World, will be sharing his gardening insights with visitors at the Malvern Autumn Show, but says there are problems with timings because of climate change. “The problem with growing veg now is that we haven’t got a clue – that’s the reality.We don’t know if winter’s going to arrive in November or December. My whole approach to veg gardening has become even more experimental than it was in the first place,” he says. Despite this, he says:“autumn is the time to think about the framework of your veg garden and if you want to add any fruit to it. It’s not long after that you can start to buy bare- root fruit, the currants and the raspberries.
He offers the following tips on what to start off in autumn.
Rocket
“Sowing wise, I’d still give rocket a go because we live in a changing world and going into September and even early October, there’s still some warmth in the soil and you could still get a decent crop.” As the season continues, you may have to protect rocket plants with sheets of horticultural fleece to keep out the cold, and you should be enjoying it through the cooler months.
Broad beans
“In October I sow broad beans indoors in little modules in peat-free compost.Grow them up to a couple of centimetres before planting them out and you should get an early crop in spring.” If you sow them in October, put horticultural fleece over them once you’ve planted them out to protect them during the coldest months, he advises.
“They might just sit there over winter, or they might grow – it just depends when winter arrives,” he says.
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