November on the Plot

Winter digging

For many of us 2014 has had the warmest and driest end to a summer in living memory. Traditionally November brings frost and fog, which combined with shortening days makes getting on with work on the allotment difficult. Prioritise, and make the main task for the coming weeks getting the soil in the best condition for next summer.

Make the best of any dry conditions to push on with winter digging. This task is most important on heavy or clay soils. Turn the soil over using a digging spade leaving it in large lumps to drain the water away and be broken down into crumbs by the effects of frosts and drying winds of winter. If you are fortunate to garden on a free draining loamy soil then it is better to leave all your soil preparations until the late winter early spring. The advice to those gardening on sandy soil is to dig in as much well-rotted organic material as possible to improve the water holding capacity of the soil and to build up the fertility of the soil.

One last word, if the soil is wet or frozen, keep off it and don’t be tempted to dig it at any cost. You could lay down walking boards to barrow organic matter to make stacks across the plot in readiness to dig in later.

If you follow the No-dig method on your plot November is a good time to top up with a thick layer of mulch (2 to 3 inches) the soil is still moist and warm and the worms can access the compost or well- rotted manure and pull it back down into the soil beneath; aerating and adding nutrients as they go.

For other tips on jobs that you could be doing this month click here