One crop will thrive in your garden next year if you plant it in October

A gardening expert has identified one crop you should plant in October in order to get a "head start" on homegrown vegetables in 2026.

Jess Caleigh said now is the "perfect time" to sow hardy peas if you want an earlier harvest in the spring. "If you want a strong head start, the trick is to find a hardy variety like Meteor or Felton First," the 30-year old explained in a TikTok video.

These can cope better than alternative varieties with the cold winter months. "I usually sow mine in cell trays or deep pots so their roots have plenty of space," Jess revealed.

She also advised for the best results, you should keep them somewhere sheltered in areas such as a cold frame, greenhouse or even on a bright window sill. "Come spring, they are ready to plant out," Jess said. "And you'll have fresh peas before you know it."

Backing up Jess' advice, the Royal Horticultural Society advises: "You can sow peas in October if you use a hardy bean variety such as 'Oregon Sugar Pod'. You can protect the seedlings from frost using a cloche.

"If you have a sheltered garden with well-drained soil, sowing in autumn means an earlier summer harvest of pea shoots and peas in May and June."

The RHS also recommends sowing the peas in individual pots and when they reach 15cm tall, they can be planted outside with support.

"Plant them about 15cm apart," they added. "Carefully train the tendrils around the support so that they are encouraged to use it. You can also direct sow peas outdoors, but they are often eaten by slugs before they get started on growing."

Jess also suggested that October is a good time to sow an entirely different kind of pea - the sweet pea, which of course is a flowering plant rather than a vegetable. "If you've never tried sowing sweet peas in autumn, now's the time to give it a go," she enthused.

Jess elaborated: "They love a bit of cool weather to get started and by spring, they'll be strong and ready to climb! I've sown mine in root trainers with good compost and tucked them somewhere cool and bright for winter."

Doing so now will ensure the sweet peas will "burst into life" when spring arrives. Jess closed by revealing she likes to begin the planting process in deep pots or even old toilet rolls. "Just pop in one or two seeds per cell, water them gently and keep them somewhere cool and bright," she added.

Once they have germinated, Jess recommends pinching out the tips when they get to 10cm, which she says encourages them to grow "bushier" and will lead to more flowers come spring.