What to do in November on the Allotment

It’s Now November on the Allotment – What should we do this month?

Now that Hallowe’en is over and almost Guy Faulks [in England!], at the start of the month the year really starts to close down. It is only a few more weeks until the shortest day. Just after that we can look forward to the Christmas celebrations. However, for many people Christmas is not a time for celebration but a time for sadness and perhaps loneliness. Like many of us, while I am with my children and my grandchildren, I think I must think of those I know in my community who might be alone at this time. Of course, for many, Christmas with families can also be a time of huge stress. Families are not always so comfortable with each other and what a wonderful time to escape to the allotment and do a bit of digging or meet up with friends to share a joke or two and compare who has the best Brussels Sprouts or even swap a few vegetables.

However, I am jumping ahead of myself by a few weeks, more next month.

Maintenance

Ø  As crops finish their harvest, remove the spent plants and compost them;

 Keep winter crops – brassicas, leeks, parsnips, etc, clear of weeds and watch out for pests like white fly on the brassicas;

Ø  If you have not already done so, cut back asparagus ferns as they turn yellow and compost. Remove all debris from the asparagus beds to reduce overwintering asparagus beetles;

Ø  Finish all cropping in green-houses and polytunnels. Wash the insides of the spaces with detergent and water or, if you prefer with Jeyes Fluid [try to avoid this chemical on the soil but, using this should prevent the recurrence of algae for a couple of years]. You may find that the outside of your greenhouse or polytunnel has been more affected by algae than the inside [especially in a damp/wet year] and cleaning this is ‘a must’ to avoid a reduction in the light available for your crops in the coming year

Ø  As you finish using tools, cloches and netting, ensure they are clean and stored in a safe and dry environment;

Ø  If you have netting over fruit cages, it is advisable to remove it before winter – particularly on the ‘roof’ as the weight of winter snow can collapse your cage;

Ø  Clear away and compost dead rhubarb leaves.

If you have not already done so, in the milder parts of the country this is a good time to rejuvenate mature rhubarb clumps – dig up the crowns and split them. Replant the strongest pieces. Discard any small pieces and plant the best ones. Don’t dig up all of you old rhubarb plants in one year or you will have nothing to harvest the following year – the plants should be allowed to establish for a year before harvesting.

Ø  Cut back and cover globe artichoke plants before frost becomes severe. It is recommended that they should be covered with straw but, on an exposed site, your straw may blow away – environmesh or plant fleece will make good substitutes but, don’t allow the fabric to rest on the plants.

Ø  Put glue bands around the trunks of fruit trees, especially apple trees to capture moths which can damage the crop in the following season.

Preparation and Planning

Ø  As summer/ autumn cropping plants finish their harvest, clear the areas of plants and perennial weeds then, start digging, especially if you have a large plot to dig. On heavy clay soil particularly, the difference between autumn dug and spring dug ground is significant. One of the difficulties of winter cropping vegetables – brassicas [cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, spring cabbages], leeks, parsnips or autumn planted sets eg. onions, garlic is that the ground can’t be dug over until the following spring when the advantages of autumn digging [the rain and frost break down the heavy clumps of earth into a fine workable tilth]. Managing this aspect on heavy soil can be an issue if you wish to have a year round succession of vegetables.

Ø  Prepare beds for autumn planting perennial crops, fruit trees, bushes and canes;

Ø  Asparagus can be planted in autumn and I see that Dobies [of Devon] is advertising asparagus crowns in 3 litre pots which can [they say] be harvested the following year. Although they seem expensive if bought individually, they have deals of buying in groups which just about makes this a feasible proposition – why not try them in large ‘grow sacks’… like potato grow sacks in your back yard. I haven’t tried this so, I can’t say how successful it would be.

Most of the large seed houses have now sent out their autumn catalogues. Write to them to request a catalogue or find them on-line - Try Dobies, Marshalls, Thompson & Morgan, Unwins, Nickys Seeds, etc

Sowing and Planting

Ø  Suitable sets for autumn planting onions, shallots and garlic;

Ø  Broad beans – in a ‘kind’ year will over-winter well on the plots though will probably need protection from the harshest weather.  If you are using horticultural fleece or environmesh, ensure it does not lie down on the young plants during the winter as they will rot beneath the covering, choose suitable seeds for autumn planting, eg Aquadulce Claudia or The Sutton;

Ø  If you like to have flowers on your allotment – now is a good time to plant a good range of daffodils and tulips to give you a display and cutting flowers from late February until late April. For an early harvest of sweet peas, sow now in pots in greenhouse or poly-tunnel to plant out in early spring.

Ø  Fruit trees, canes and bushes can now be planted into prepared plots

Harvesting

Ø  Late main-crop potatoes can still be harvested and stored now

Ø  Brassicas – Brussels Sprouts, broccoli/calabrese, kale and winter cabbage are available now.

Ø  Leeks and parsnips are at their best now.

Important

Our birds can look forward to a harsh time over winter so, do think about feeding them and providing water for them during the cold months.