The best crops for autumn are those that are not only cold-tolerant, but also taste better when they mature in cooler weather. Those include: beets, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery/celeriac, collards, chicories, fennel, greens,kale, kohlrabi, leeks, lettuce, onions, parsnips, peas, radish, rutabaga, spinach, swiss chard, and turnips.

 

Top tips for growing Tomatoes

• Planting in greenhouses and polytunnels offer optimum conditions and ensures a summer long harvest
• Plant outside in any size garden providing they are in a warm and sheltered spot  and use a tomato cage for support
• Tumbling varieties are great grown in hanging baskets
• All varieties need fertile soil, and plenty of regular sun, heat, food and water to produce sweet, juicy fruits

 

Top tips for growing Carrots

• Sow carrot seeds regularly for a year-round crop
• All carrots require an open, sunny site and fertile well-drained soil. Use an organic veg compost to provide essential nutrients
• Carrots are best grown in the open ground, but you can try short-rooted types in containers  or growbags
• Keep weeds down between rows by hand weeding - if you allow weeds to grow they may end up crowding out the carrots

 

Top tips for growing Runner Beans

• Use canes for plant support, the expanding Willow Trellis is both practical and decorative
• Keep an eye out for slugs and blackfly that may attack the plants
• Ensure the soil is constantly moist and doesn’t dry out
• Pick regularly to prevent any pods reaching maturity; once this happens plants will stop flowering and no more pods will be set

 

Top tips for growing Lettuce

• Mix varieties for an assortment of different coloured leaves and tastes
• Choose a sunny spot, and when planting mix with a well-rotted garden compost to add nutrients
• For a continuous supply, sow a few seeds every four weeks
• Lettuce is easy to grow in containers and window boxes - simply fill it with a mix of potting compost and John Innes and sow seeds