October harvest
Harvest and Store
October 31, 2009
 Plants sowed in spring and perennial plants
Chilies can be harvested all autumn long if the weather is good. They will produce smaller and milder pods than summer harvest.
 Traditional basil died in september, but many harder variety are still producing as the cinnamon basil in the picture, or the thai basil.
All varieties of mint and balm, kissed by the rain, are producing new fresh leaves that can be harvested and dried.
Marjoram can be harvested too.
Better do not harvest: sage, chives, winter savory, oreganon, parsley, tarragon, chrysantemium.
 Plants sowed in autumn
Many aromatich herbs and greens sowed in september are ready to be harvested, like chervil that can be harvested after a few weeks, or like pak choi and tatsoi in the picture.
I harvested a few leaves from the lettuce transplanted plants too.
 Black mustard sowed in september can be harvested too. Leaves are a bit harder that spring ones, as for dandelion, and it's better to cook them.
 Herbal teas, aromatic herbs, medicinal plants
In October many roots and berries are ready to be harvested (be careful, many of these are for medicinal uses only):
- Bay berries
- Bistort root
- Milk Thistle leaves
- Comfrey root
- Wild Fennel root
- Gentian root
- Juniper berries
- Lovage root
- Licorice roots from three years plants
- Nettle roots
- Rhubarb roots
- Horseradish roots from two years plants
- Soapwort roots
- Valerian roots from two years plants
 In October you should harvest the seeds for the next year (if you didn't already): Welsh onion, garlic chives (nira), wild garlic, holly, betonic, borago, marygold, safflower, calamint, white and black mustard, tansy, dandelion.
 My French Marigold is producing seeds and the last flowers. They aren't edible but I'm harvesting them for a pout-pourri.
Seasonal cooking
Seasonal herbs and spices: Burnet, chervil, chives garlic, cilantro, cress, dill, horseradish, lemon grass, licorice, mint, mustard, nettle, parsley, savory, sorrel.
Seasonal Vegetables: Artichokes, aubergines, beans, beetroots, broccolis, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, celery knob, chards, chicory, endive, fennel, leek, lettuce, onions, peppers, pumpkin, radicchio, radishes, rocket, savoy, scorzonera, spinach, Swiss chard, tomato, turnips.
Seasonal Fruits: Alkekengis, almonds, ananas, apples, avocado, bananas, blackberries, carobs, chestnuts, grape, hazelnuts, lemons, peaches, pears, persimmons, plums, pomegranates, prickly pear, quinces, walnuts.
 Read also:
October gardening tips
Aromatic herbs in October
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