A gardening lover has shared the ideal vegetable to plant this month for an early spring harvest, and it’s a familiar favourite that thrives in the cold weather
Now that autumn is in full swing, it’s typical for gardens to quiet down but it’s also an ideal moment to start planning ahead for spring. October offers a great opportunity to plant a variety of crops.
One home gardener has named a well-known vegetable that she believes is especially suited for sowing this month. Jessica, a gardening and thrifting enthusiast, suggested planting peas, specifically hardy types, during this season. In a TikTok video, she posed the question: “Did you know October is the perfect month to start getting a headstart on your peas?” She explained that she plants her peas at this time so they can establish themselves over winter.
Jessica revealed: “The trick is to find a hardy variety like Meteor or Feltham First which can handle the cold months.”
The gardening fan typically uses cell trays or deep containers to give the roots plenty of room to develop.
She also suggests keeping the seedlings somewhere protected – whether that’s a cold frame, greenhouse, or even just a sunny windowsill indoors.
Jessica promised: “Come spring they’re ready to plant out. You’ll have fresh peas before you know it.”
Captioning her TikTok clip, Jessica explained: “October is the perfect month to sow hardy pea varieties in the UK!
“Sowing now means stronger plants and an earlier harvest next spring. Try varieties like Meteor or Feltham First for the best results.”
Supermarket shelves are brimming with bags and tins of peas, but the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) believes hat home-grown, freshly picked peas are far superior, boasting a sweet and delicious flavour.
Peas are a versatile vegetable, perfect as a side dish for your fish and chips or mixed into a variety of meals, from soups to pastas to quiches.
The RHS praises peas as an easy crop to cultivate, noting that both climbing and dwarf varieties require relatively little ground space.
Meteor, a hardy dwarf variety, can brave winter temperatures and is renowned for its resilience in exposed sites, making it a top choice for garden growth. This round-seeded pea type yields plenty of small but well-filled pods.
Feltham First is another hardy pea variety, ideal for autumn sowing due to its excellent cold tolerance. It produces plentiful, large pointed pods and can reach heights of 45cm.
As Jessica mentioned, peas can be planted in autumn in cold frames and greenhouses or directly sown into the soil.
The first method shields young pea plants during the chillier months, and Simply Seed recommends positioning a cold frame to face the sun to warm the seedlings.
It further suggests that covering pots with fleece will provide extra protection from the cold, keeping your pea plants healthy and robust.
According to Simply Seed, direct sowing involves planting pea seeds directly into the soil at a depth of about 5 cm.
However, for taller varieties, they should be spaced approximately 10 cm apart to allow room for support structures and prevent overcrowding.
The seed company further explains that this method helps the peas develop robust root systems as they grow.
This technique is particularly effective for round-seeded varieties that can withstand early planting.