Radish

Sow corn salad in September: the hardiest winter salad for your raised bed

Corn salad is the only salad that survives real frost and stays tender. September is the last good sowing window — wait any longer and you'll go without fresh salad until spring.

The September switch: clearing summer crops and planting your autumn bed

September is the month of the big changeover. Tomatoes are winding down, courgettes are getting tired — and the space they leave behind is some of the most valuable growing ground of the whole year.

Radishes in September: the last sowing before winter

September is the last month when radishes really work. Cool nights make them crispier and sharper than anything you grew in summer. Sow now, harvest in mid-October — just before everything stops.

Sow carrots in August: your second chance for an autumn harvest

Most people think of carrots as a spring crop. August is your second window — with a real upside: autumn carrots taste sweeter than summer ones. But only if you start right now.

Sow lamb's lettuce in August — start now for your autumn harvest

August is when the raised bed starts emptying out and most gardeners think the growing season is winding down. Lamb's lettuce disagrees — sow it now for a harvest that runs all the way to December.

Harvesting kohlrabi at the right time: how to tell before it turns woody

My neighbour Frau Schneider brought me a kohlrabi the size of a coconut last week. It tasted like wood. Here's how to catch that moment before it's too late.