I just read the Veggie Patch Ramblings for September and I had written ‘the weather is starting to warm up’ as the first sentence. Well, it feels like Spring has just jumped straight to Summer – and the plants are feeling it!

I can usually grow lettuces until the end of November (after that it is too hot) but this year my lettuces are bolting in early October! During the middle of the day in other day, I could see that my wilting veggies in one of my patches were in need of some shade – so I put up my shade cloth a month earlier than when I normally would have. The shade cloth is looking a bit worse for wear but it will do the job!

Cherry tomatoes have taken over parts of my veggie patch – which is fine with me. The only thing I have been doing is pruning the end of a bush when it starts to ramble too much. I read in the Gardening Australia Magazine that this helps them to produce more fruit so I’m all for that! Cherry tomatoes straight from the garden are a taste sensation and I’ll often pop one or two in my mouth while I’m picking them!

I’m also looking forward to trying some new tomato varieties – Thai Pink Egg and Yellow Pear. Yellow Pear has made an appearance in the patch in previous years.Thai Pink Egg however, is a newcomer. Both were chosen for their fruit fly resistance.

In October, three broad bean pods were produced from a plant that was growing in the patch. The seed for this plant was sown by my little one, who found the seed in a Snowpea packet! I thought the weather was too warm so I didn’t expect any pods even though there was a mass display of flowers. I ate these tasty beans with some zucchini and cherry tomatoes . I lightly fried them in garlic oil and had them for lunch on a bit of toast.

Zucchinis have been prolific in my nature strip veggie patch. They are the yellow variety and are doing a lot better than the one lonesome blackjack zucchini plant in my garden veggie patch which hasn’t been producing any fruit. Because of my yellow zucchini already giving me loads of zucchinis – I’m not too concerned about Mr Blackjack and his lack of zucchinis!

They say a garden will teach you patience and my Honey Keygold bean seeds were definitely teaching me that this October! Although after only having two seeds germinate out of 24 seeds planted – not only this month but in September, I am starting to feel that the seeds are past their best. Honey Keygold beans are one of my favourites so this was a bit disappointing. But in October I sowed snake and climbing bean seeds which have germinated. Yay! So I will still get my bean fix.

As climbing and snake beans like to climb up structures – I have set up a tripod for the climbing beans. The snake beans have an old cot frame in one patch and some rio in the other patch. The old cot frame almost went to the tip some time ago. However I knew I would be able to use it in the garden and told my partner that it’s not going to the tip! He thinks I’m a hoarder and gives me deadlines on keeping items. I have just loved the fact that it has supported snowpea and cherry tomato plants – and soon snake beans too!

The Beetroot is ready to pick and I love eating it raw – just grated, mixed with grated carrot and a dash of apple cider vinegar. This October I decided to give making Beetroot relish a go. A lot of the recipes I found had loads of sugar in them. I was quite pleased when I found a recipe that just used a small amount of honey. Beetroot relish is something I’d make again for sure.

So there is some of what has been happening in my veggie patches in October. For more regular updates, don’t forget to Like our Facebook page!

What has been your October happenings in your veggie patch? We would love to know! Please share in the comments below.