Bishy Barnabee’s Cottage Garden

Sow in October

Sweet peas, autumn-sown hardy annuals, and overwintering

What to sow in October
Flower seedsAnnuals & perennialsVeg seedsFrom salad to squashHerb seedsKitchen and gardenHardy annualsAutumn-sow for springSweet peasAutumn-sow championsUnder £2.50Stock up favourites
49 products
Corncockle by Bishy Barnabees Cottage Garden Ltd features tall, slender stems with vibrant purple blooms among clusters of daisies and green foliage, set against a partly cloudy rural landscape.
Annual

Corncockle

Large open magenta-pink trumpets with a pale centre…

Sow: Mar–May · Sep–Oct
£2.20 View
Close-up of Daucus Carota Dara by Bishy Barnabees Cottage Garden—tall stems with pink and white clusters, blooming densely in sunlight. Ideal as a cut flower with blurred foliage and blue sky in the background.
Biennial

Daucus Carota Dara

The coloured wild carrot, and currently one of…

Sow: Mar–May · Sep–Oct
£2.40 View
Several Echinacea Bravado plants by Bishy Barnabees Cottage Garden display rosy-purple blooms with orange-brown centers among lush green leaves, brightening the vibrant garden with more flowers and foliage in the background.
Perennial

Echinacea Bravado

Big rosy-purple daisies, ten to twelve centimetres across,…

Sow: Feb–Apr · Sep–Oct
£2.30 View
A lush swath of blooming Oxeye Daisy by Bishy Barnabees Cottage Garden displays radiant white petals with yellow centers, creating a vibrant wildflower scene perfect for gardens or natural rewilding spaces.
Perennial

Oxeye Daisy

The native British daisy, the one in every…

Sow: Mar–May · Sep–Oct
£2.10 View
Two bees gather nectar from a large, light purple Poppy Hungarian Blue flower by Bishy Barnabees Cottage Garden, featuring a dark center and green leaves, with another poppy blooming in the background. This variety is known for edible poppy seeds.
Annual

Poppy Hungarian Blue

Large single violet-purple bowls, eight to ten centimetres…

Sow: Mar–May · Sep–Oct
£2.20 View
A vivid Poppy Ladybird by Bishy Barnabees Cottage Garden opens amid green foliage, viewed from above. The softly blurred background highlights its scarlet-red petals with black centers and intricate stamens.
Annual

Poppy Ladybird

Scarlet cups with a huge black blotch at…

Sow: Mar–May · Sep–Oct
£2.10 View
Close-up of vibrant pink Red Campion flowers by Bishy Barnabees Cottage Garden, with green stems and leaves in a field against a cloudy sky. The focused blooms and blurred background make them ideal for wildlife-friendly gardens.
Perennial

Red Campion

Rose-pink five-petalled flowers, each petal deeply notched so…

Sow: Mar–May · Sep–Oct
£2.40 View
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Sowing in October — your questions answered

What can I sow in October?

October is the prime month for autumn-sown sweet peas — sown now into deep modules or root trainers, they develop strong root systems through winter and reward you with earlier, more productive plants next year. Other hardy annuals (cornflowers, larkspur, ammi, nigella, calendula) can still be sown now if you missed September. Garlic and overwintering onions can go in towards the end of the month.

How should I sow sweet peas in October?

Use deep modules or root trainers — sweet peas have long taproots and dislike disturbance later. Sow two seeds per cell, water gently, and place somewhere cool and bright. A cold frame or unheated greenhouse is ideal. Pinch out the growing tips once plants have three or four pairs of leaves to encourage bushier growth. Plant out in early spring.

Should I do anything to prepare beds for next year?

Yes. Clear spent annuals, weed thoroughly, and add a layer of well-rotted compost or manure on top of the soil. This will feed the soil over winter and improve its structure by spring. Avoid digging it in — the worms will do that work for you. Cover bare soil with cardboard or a green manure to suppress weeds and protect from rain.

Is it too late for direct sowing outside?

For most flowers, October is the very edge of the window. Hardy annuals direct-sown into mild, well-prepared soil can still establish before winter, but slug damage and waterlogging are real risks. Module sowing under cover is the safer route. For vegetables, garlic and overwintering onions are the main October plantings.