13/10/2026
October has arrived, the soil is warming up, and many gardeners are staring at their beds thinking "what on earth do I plant first?" Relax. Grab a coffee, we've got your back!
This is the most exciting time of the gardening year. The days are longer, the nights are kinder, and every seed you sow now has a whole glorious summer ahead of it.
Plant this month and you will be picking, picking and picking some more, right through to autumn.
Wait too long, and you will be watching your neighbour's tomatoes ripen while yours are still deciding whether or not they should even flower.
Below are our favourite Top 10 Crops to Plant Right Now.
Grow these and your summer harvest will be overflowing, your freezer will be full, and the satisfaction of harvesting, sharing and processing your bounty will be the reward.
Each one of these 10 varieties has earned its place on this list.
My first question is always, what's the best return on effort?
We like to process tomatoes, store both green and dry beans, pickle cucumbers and freeze sweetcorn for the winter months. All of them cost serious money out of season, so a good harvest in summer sets you up to win.
They are all generous growers, they reward beginners and seasoned gardeners alike, and they turn a small veggie patch into a summer of good eating with the potential of storing the abundance away for a bit of sunshine in those dreary winter months.
Even better, every one of them produces more than enough to share, so get ready to hand out bags of goodies to friends, family and anyone who happens to visit you over the weekend.
This is something we love doing, walking thorough the veggie garden with friends and piling it high in their arms.There is just something special about blessing friends and family with your harvests. The look of utter joy on their faces is priceless!
Thanks Living Seeds for a great inspirational post.
Number One: Tomatoes
Nothing on earth beats a sun warm tomato picked straight off the vine. Shop tomatoes simply cannot compete, and once you have grown your own, there is no going back.
Number Two: Chillis
Whether you like a gentle warmth or something that will strip the paint off your braai, now is the time to sow.
Number Three: Peppers
Sweet peppers are the quiet achievers of the summer garden: colourful, generous, and wonderful in just about every dish.
Number Four: Squash
Number Five: Pumpkins
Number Six: Cucumbers
Number Seven: Beans
Number Eight: Potatoes (Now or Never!)
This is your last chance! Seed potatoes are almost sold out.
Number Nine: Corn
Number Ten: Herbs
Basi, Thyme, Mint, Coriander, ......
