Growing your own in autumn

You can continue to sow fast maturing autumn crops such as spring cabbage, spinach, turnips, and oriental vegetables.

Garlic - can be planted in October or early November. It can also be planted in early spring, but will give much better yields if it goes through a cold period over winter.

Rocket - generally known as a summer salad can be grown in September, will last well into the autumn and can sometimes survive the winter in mild conditions and/or with some protection.

Onion sets - can be planted up until November.

Winter purslane - is a very hardy winter salad, good at self-seeding and can be sown direct until the end of September.  It produces small, mild tasting, succulent leaves.

New potatoes for Christmas?

If you have tubers left from a crop of early potatoes, put them in a light, frost-free place. When shoot appear, plant 3 into a 15 litre tub with drainage holes. Place tubers onto a 15cm (6in) layer of multipurpose or potting compost, cover with 7.5cm (3in) of compost. As the shoots grow, fill the container with compost, always leaving the top of the shoots in the light. Water regularly, support the foliage with canes and protect from frost. Empty the container on Christmas morning (no peeping before!) and harvest the new tubers.