Autumn is in full swing, and the Eco Team have been harvesting some of the cabbages and the last of the pumpkins. As the nights draw in now is the perfect time to plant garlic, as garlic needs one to two months of cold temperatures for the bulb to form cloves. Students have planted their garlic that they will harvest in June/July next year and have already been searching for recipes for garlic sauce! This time of year, it is the perfect time to plant sweet peas in a cold frame, unheated greenhouse, or windowsill. Planting at this time of year gives the plants a head start in spring allowing for larger and longer blooms.

At this time of year leaves are falling from the trees and are a fantastic garden resource, once decomposed they provide valuable nutrients that can be spread on the vegetable beds the following year. Students have been learning the importance of composting and have begun collecting fallen leaves to add to our compost bays, to help improve the health and condition of the soil that we grow in.