For Southern Africa
October Food Gardening Activities in a Nutshell
This is the loveliest month in the garden and another very busy month in the herb and veggie garden.
Sowing herbs and veggies, and summer flowering companion plants is now a priority. This is also a good month to propagate herbs from softwood cuttings.
Transplant herb and veggie seedlings and rooted herb cuttings as soon as they are ready. Don’t let them grow too leggy.
Continue routine care of all vegetables. Water every three to four days if the weather is dry. Pull up weeds by hand. Feed every two weeks with a liquid organic fertilizer.
Finish thinning out fruit on apricot, peach, and plum trees before the pips get hard.
Take proper precautions against fruit fly. Especially on Orion, Alpha, and Rhodes peaches which will start ripening later in this month (into November).
Splash bait on the leaves of cucumbers once a week, and after heavy rain, to protect them from pumpkin fly.
Take proper precautions against blight on tomatoes.
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For food gardening purposes Southern Africa can be divided into four climatic regions. This is not an exact science. Use it as a guide only and keep good records to determine your own best sowing times.
Together we can empower more people in Southern Africa to grow their own food. Even if it is just one or two herbs in pots. This can improve quality of life and alleviate poverty in your region. Please share this sowing guide with all your family and friends in Southern Africa.
Please PIN and Share This Sowing Guide!
You can sort the sowing table with the arrows next to each column header. Please Scroll Down to see explanatory notes for each column.
| Name | Type | Nutrient Demand | Easy of Growing | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arugula (rocket) | Leaf | Medium | Easy | Y | Y | Y | N |
| Asparagus | Leaf | High | Difficult | Y | N | Y | Y |
| Broccoli | Leaf | High | Variable | N | N | N | N |
| Brussels Sprouts | Leaf | High | Moderate | N | N | N | N |
| Cabbage | Leaf | Medium | Easy | Y | N | Y | Y |
| Cauliflower | Leaf | High | Difficult | N | N | N | N |
| Celery | Leaf | High | Difficult | Y | N | Y | Y |
| Cress and Mustard | Leaf | Medium | Moderate | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Kale | Leaf | Low | Easy | N | N | N | N |
| Kohlrabi, leaf crop | Leaf | Low | Easy | N | N | N | N |
| Lettuce, leaf | Leaf | Medium | Moderate | N | N | Y | N |
| Morogo | Leaf | Low | Easy | N | N | Y | N |
| Oriental Cabbages | Leaf | Medium | Easy | N | N | N | N |
| Rhubarb | Leaf | Medium | Easy | N | N | N | Y |
| Spinach | Leaf | Medium | Variable | Y | N | N | Y |
| Swiss chard | Leaf | Low | Easy | Y | N | N | Y |
| Beetroot | Root | Low | Easy | Y | N | Y | Y |
| Carrot | Root | Low | Moderate | Y | N | Y | Y |
| Potato | Root | Medium | Easy | Y | N | N | Y |
| Radish | Root | Medium | Easy | Y | N | Y | Y |
| Sweet potato | Root | Medium | Easy | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Turnips | Root | Medium | Moderate | N | N | Y | Y |
| Broad beans | Legume | Low | Easy | N | N | N | N |
| Bush beans | Legume | Low | Easy | Y | N | Y | Y |
| Runner beans | Legume | Low | Easy | Y | N | Y | Y |
| Peas | Legume | Low | Easy | N | N | N | N |
| Artichoke (globe) | Fruit | Medium | Moderate | N | N | N | N |
| Cucumber | Fruit | Medium | Easy | Y | N | Y | Y |
| Eggplant | Fruit | Medium | Moderate | Y | N | Y | Y |
| Mealies | Fruit | Medium | Easy | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Melons | Fruit | Medium | Moderate | Y | N | Y | Y |
| Okra | Fruit | Medium | Moderate | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Peppers, hot | Fruit | Medium | Easy | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Peppers, sweet | Fruit | High | Easy | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Pumpkin | Fruit | Medium | Easy | Y | N | Y | Y |
| Squash, bush | Fruit | Medium | Easy | Y | N | Y | Y |
| Squash, trailing | Fruit | Medium | Easy | Y | N | Y | Y |
| Tomatoes | Fruit | Medium | Easy | Y | N | N | Y |
| Garlic | Bulb | Medium | Moderate | N | N | N | N |
| Leeks | Bulb | High | Difficult | N | N | N | N |
| Onions | Bulb | High | Difficult | N | N | N | N |
| Spring onions | Bulb | Medium | Moderate | N | N | N | N |
| Basil | Herb | Low | Easy | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Chamomile | Herb | Low | Easy | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Chervil | Herb | Low | Easy | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Chives | Herb | Low | Easy | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Coriander | Herb | Low | Easy | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Dill | Herb | Low | Easy | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Fennel | Herb | Low | Easy | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Garlic Chives | Herb | Low | Easy | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Lovage | Herb | Low | Easy | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Mizuna | Leaf | Low | Easy | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Nasturtium | Herb | Low | Easy | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Pak Choi | Leaf | Low | Easy | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Parsley | Herb | Low | Easy | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Rue | Herb | Low | Easy | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Sage | Herb | Low | Easy | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Sorrel | Herb | Low | Easy | Y | Y | Y | Y |
LIMITED TIME OFFER
Grow A Bountiful Harvest In Your Own Backyard!
Join 3 online gardening masterclasses suited for both novice and seasoned food gardeners, amateur and professional family herbalists.
Regional Sowing Guide Notes:
Column 1 – Common Name
Column 2 – Type
Use this information to plan for a variety of herbs and vegetables. It can also be used for a basic crop rotation plan.
Column 3 – Nutrient Demand
This refers to how heavy a feeder the crop is. If you have poor soil, you should omit the high nutrient demand crops.
Low nutrient demand crops are capable of struggling along and will usually produce something edible even under poor conditions. Given soil more fertile than their minimum requirements they can become quite prolific.
Medium nutrient demand crops need significantly enriched soil to thrive. They will do a lot better when given soil considerably more fertile than their minimum requirements.
High nutrient demand crops will usually not thrive unless grown in light, loose, always moist soil that provides the highest level of nutrition.
Column 4 – Ease of Growing
Always choose crops that suit your experience level. Some crops are good teachers and they will prepare you for growing more difficult crops. Examples are herbs, Swiss chard, radishes and bush beans.
Columns 5 to 8 – Sowing Regions 1, 2, 3, 4 (See Regional Map)
For food gardening purposes Southern Africa can be divided into four climatic regions. This is not an exact science. Use it as a guide only and keep good records to determine your own best sowing times. A “Y” indicates that you can sow the crop and an “N” obviously indicates that this is not a good month to sow the crop in your region.
Please PIN and Share This Sowing Guide
Together we can empower more people in Southern Africa to grow their own food. Even if it is just one or two herbs in pots. Please share this sowing guide with all your family and friends in Southern Africa.
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