October

You can sustainably improve the structure and water-retaining capacity of light soils by using a natural clay mineral powder. A natural clay mineral powder also increases the storage capacity for plant nutrients. Plants simply feel better and show improved growth.

Vegetables such as tomatoes, courgettes, carrots, celery and beetroot should be harvested before the first frosts. You can easily store root and tuberous vegetables in a cool, damp cellar room, preferably at approximately 5° C. Storing in the same room as fruit is not recommended.

Garlic can be planted in October. Bulblets or individual cloves should be planted approximately 15 cm deep in the ground. Strawberries and raspberries are particularly good as companion plants for garlic.

The best time to do a pH test on your soil is after harvesting the vegetable bed. This allows you to determine the acidity of the soil. Take soil from at least five different places in the bed (depth of 0-30 cm) and mix them. The easiest and fastest way to determine the acidity of the soil is using a pH soil testing kit. If the soil is excessively acidic, add lime now to help it to adjust.

To eliminate the overwintering stage of asparagus fly and asparagus rust, cut off and remove the yellowing asparagus ferns. This measure may significantly reduce an infestation the following year.

Thoroughly control leek also to be harvested over winter for infestation with leek moths now. This can be identified by white patches developing on the foliage where the caterpillars have eaten. Cut off and destroy affected leaves. Protect the leek against heavy frost by covering with fleece. Covering with a layer of leaves is also possible.

Suitable herbs for harvesting in November are parsley, winter purslane and scurvy grass. Frost-sensitive herbs such as tarragon, oregano and rosemary overwinter better if they are given some frost protection.