Your garden is probably overflowing with fresh herbs, squash, and courgettes as summer reaches its zenith. It's the perfect time to look ahead and begin getting ready for the autumn growing season, though, while you're still enjoying the results of your effort.
You can ensure a steady supply of fresh, homegrown food throughout the winter months by preparing your beds for autumn sowing and continuing to harvest summer crops while making clever use of available space.
Why Get Ready for Autumn Now?
Crops that develop in autumn or even overwinter are best sown in the UK from July to early September. Your chances of success may be limited if you wait too long because daylight hours will reduce and temperatures will plummet.
The secret is to gradually change your garden, filling in the spaces left by summer crops
Setting Up Beds for Autumn Seeding
Remove Summer Crops That Were Spent.
Begin by determining which crops, such as fading radishes, early peas, or bolted lettuces, are no longer producing or are beginning to deteriorate. You can create space by removing these without compromising your active summer crops.
🌱 Tip: Remember to compost the healthy plant debris so that it can nourish your soil the next season!
Rejuvenate the soil
Now is the moment to rejuvenate your soil because summer crops consume nutrients. For air to circulate the bed, softly fork over it. Spread a layer of balanced organic fertiliser or well-rotted compost. A quick compost top-up promotes soil health and helps autumn varieties that grow quickly.
Planting Succession
Try succession planting, which involves planting new crops in between or shortly after older ones are finished, as an alternative to clearing entire beds.
Sow the Right Crops
Autumn sowing isn’t just for leafy greens — there are plenty of cool-season crops that thrive when sown in late summer:
Ideal Seeds to Sow in Late July–August:
🥬 Kale – hardy and full of nutrients
🥕 Carrots – choose quick-maturing or baby varieties
🧅 Spring Onions – ideal for salads and soups
🥗 Lettuce, Rocket & Mizuna – quick to harvest
🥦 Winter Brassicas – like purple sprouting broccoli (sow early)