Sorting Out Our Allotment for Winter (mid October)

As autumn turns towards winter, the allotment needs a little extra care to prepare it for the colder months ahead. The air is crisp and the pace of life in the garden slows down but there’s still plenty of work to do. Today, we're in the garden, getting stuck into a mix of clearing, planting and planning for next year. Let me share with you how we are sorting out the allotment for winter.

Cleaning Out the Dead Plants

The first job on our list is clearing out the dead plants from the summer season. The corn stalks, which were towering over the allotment just a few weeks ago, are now chopped down and cut into small pieces. Instead of throwing them in the compost bin, we’ve decided to leave them on the soil as a natural ground cover. This not only helps protect the soil from winter erosion but also adds organic matter as the stalks break down. It’s a simple, effective way to give back to the earth.

The courgettes are next on the list. After just one frosty night, the plants have withered, so it's time to clear them away. Courgettes don’t stand a chance once temperatures drop, so they’ll be added to the compost to continue their cycle of giving. 

We are not overwintering our pepper plants this year – while some gardeners do, we haven’t got the space in our unheated polytunnel. The cold would be too much for them to survive, so we’ll just focus on crops that can handle the chill.

As for the beans, we are clearing out the remaining stems, but leaving the roots in the ground. This might seem odd, but it’s an important step. Bean plants fix nitrogen in the soil and by allowing the roots to decompose naturally, that nitrogen will return to the earth, improving soil fertility for next season’s crops.

It has been a difficult season this year - summer was late and then too short, plants struggled to get established, and as a result everything got delayed. Aubergines, cucumbers and butternuts will be easy to clear as there is hardly anything left of the stems.

Picking Out the Last Green Tomatoes and Clearing the Plants

Next up, the tomatoes. While most have ripened by now, a few green ones are still hanging on, refusing to turn red. we are picking these unripe tomatoes and placing them in the polytunnel, where the slightly warmer conditions will hopefully help them ripen over the coming weeks.

With the tomatoes picked, it’s time to pull out the plants. We don't compost these because we sprayed them with Bordeaux mix to prevent blight so they need to be handled differently. Bordeaux mix contains copper, which we don't want to go in the compost. Additionally, any blight spores could still be present on the plants, so rather than risking contamination, we are pulling the stems out and leaving them to dry. Once fully dried, we’ll be burning them. It’s a precautionary step, but well worth it to prevent any potential blight issues next year.

Collecting Beans for Seeds (and Eating)

Before fully clearing the bean plants, I’m collecting the last pods for seeds. These beans aren’t just for planting next year but also for eating. Once dried, they make for delicious and nutritious meals. Whether boiled or added to soups, homegrown beans are a versatile and protein-rich food that can be enjoyed all through winter. I’ll keep some aside for next year’s planting and store the rest in jars for cooking. It’s a great feeling, knowing that your seeds can serve a double purpose!

Digging Over the Soil and Covering with Compost

By this time of the year (mid October), the ground in the UK is permanently wet. Our garden has quite heavy soil and with the amount of rain we've had, using a fork is the only way to dig. Now that most of the plants are out, we are giving the soil a good dig over. This helps to break up any compaction and aerates the ground, improving drainage. 

There are some fat worms we notice and we are grateful for their presence - and so is the daring Robin who keeps a close watch on our activities and quite often gets rewarded with the juiciest of morsel. 

 After digging, we either cover the soil with a generous layer of compost, which will slowly break down and enrich the soil throughout the winter, or we sow green manure. 

Investing in Winter Cover Crops – Green Manure

Once the beds have been dug, the focus shifts to protecting the soil. Bare soil over winter can lead to erosion, nutrient loss, and weeds taking hold. That’s why we are going to be sowing winter cover crops, or green manure, soon. Winter rye and field beans are our go-to choices. They’ll germinate quickly, covering the ground through the cold months, and in early spring, we will dig them into the soil to boost organic matter and improve its structure. It’s a simple, sustainable practice that keeps the allotment ticking over when nothing else is growing.

Planting Garlic

Garlic thrives in the cold, so we are getting them in the ground towards the end of October. These hardy vegetables will quietly establish their roots through the winter, ready to spring into life when the weather warms. There’s something comforting about knowing that this crop will be quietly growing while the rest of the allotment takes its winter break.

Evaluating the Season’s Outcome

Now’s the time to reflect on this year’s successes and challenges. We’ve realised that we didn’t do crop rotation properly this season, and as we’re not fully following the No-Dig method, some plants haven’t thrived as they should have. Without rotating crops, certain plants ended up struggling in soil that had been depleted by last year’s growth. Next year, crop rotation will be a priority, and the planning for that starts now.

One of the biggest disappointments this year has been the leeks. Every year, they seem to be plagued by blackfly infestations later in the summer. Despite using various sprays and covering them with nets, the whole crop was ruined. We are considering trying a different approach next year, but it’s always frustrating when pests persist despite your best efforts!

Pruning Apples, Pears and Plums (But Not Raspberries or Gooseberries)

Winter is the ideal time to prune apple, pear, and plum trees. By removing any dead or damaged branches and thinning out the canopy, we are ensuring better airflow and healthier growth for next season’s fruit. However, we are leaving the raspberries and gooseberries alone – they’ll get their pruning in the early spring, when they’re just waking up from winter dormancy.

Pacing Yourself

Although there’s plenty to do, we won’t be getting all of this done in a single day. Plus it is two ofus - my husband Chris and I. In fact, these tasks will take us at least a fortnight, if not a month. Pacing yourself is so important when it comes to garden work. If you try to do everything in one go, you’ll end up with strained muscles and a sore back, and it takes the joy out of it. I prefer to tackle a few tasks each day, enjoying the process without overdoing it.

Final Thoughts

There’s a lot to do in October to prepare the allotment for the winter but with steady progress, we’ll have everything ready before the first frost truly sets in. Winter may feel like a quiet time in the garden, but the work we do now sets the stage for a successful and vibrant spring.

How are you preparing your allotment or garden for winter? Share your October gardening tasks in the comments below! 

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