Cold and damp nights are on the increase. You have harvested most of the vegetables from your allotment and currently feasting on the fruits of your labour. What can you do or grow on your allotment this Autumn and Winter?
Starting with Autumn
Firstly, Autumn is a great time to take stock of your allotment. Clearing away rubbish and dead growth, pruning fruit canes and improving the soil. Winter is just around the corner and there’s no time to spare.
In the later months of Autumn into Winter, dig or double dig your plots. Don’t bother trying to break the soil clods down; let the frost crumble heavy lumps into a fine tilth, even a thick clay soil is no match for a season of cold nights. Have faith!
Work plenty of well rotted manure into your soil, even on land that you are planning to grow potatoes on – don’t believe the old myth that it’ll damage your crop…it is not true. You can also try using a ‘green manure’ product. Green manure is a crop that is grow for the improvement of soil, rather than human consumption. A good Winter mix may contain Red Clover, Mustard and Crimson Clover. Before the crop runs to seed, you either dig it in or cut it at ground level, wait a few weeks and then dig it in. As the plants rot, they release precious nutrients into the soil. This is a very cost effective method.
As Winter bites on your allotment
While the frosts are hard at work breaking your soil down, there is no excuse for idol hands. Although plant growth is slow in the darker months, you can still grow good food to eat. Japanese Onions, Garlic, Broadbeans all need tending to. They will be harvested in Spring, but will need the Winter months to get a good head-start. If you have previously planted Purple Sprouting Brocolli, Brussel Sprouts, or Swiss Chard, you can continue to harvest for the table as well as (amongst others) Swedes, Carrotts, Winter Radishes, Kale, Leeks, Rocket and Parsnips.