Welcome to our 'Grow Your Own' Monthly Organic Gardening Guide
November
There is still plenty to do in vegetable and fruit garden in preparartion for the next growing season. Its a great time of year to clear up debris, prepare beds and new growing spaces as most plant growth has slowed right down (including the weeds!) . And always great fun choosing new seeds for the next growing season. Planning what plants will go where, what preparation is needed and what you can plant or sow this month for the Spring is well worth the time and effort for a productive and yummy harvest next year.
- Harvest: Winter Cabbages, Cauli's, Leeks, Celery, Celeriac, Kale, Kohl Rabi, Turnips, Swedes and Spinach.
- Prepare your growing area for next Spring. Add Organic matter over the surface such as manure and the worms will do their work incorporating it into the soil.
New growing areas can be prepared by ‘double digging’, digging trenches over the whole bed and adding plenty of manure. This will give your Spring plants a good start by improving the soil texture, increasing water retention and allow an easier environment below the soil level for healthy root growth. Raised beds are excellent for organising your growing year using rotational systems.
- Cover up compost heaps to shelter from downpours of rain that will leach valuable nutrients that it contains. This will also provide some insulation from the cold so that the composting process can continue over winter; if but slowly!
- Wrap up your wormeries if outside against frost so that your worm population are kept nice and snug for the winter months.
- Collect leaves for making leaf mould. Beech and Oak leaves are good as they decompost quicker than the more thicker leaves. If you can break them up with your mower all the better; this will quicken the process. Pack the leaf heap closely as,unlike vegetable/ garden waste for composting, the micro-organisms that break down leaves work best without air!
- Plant garlic cloves, Broad Beans, Peas, Grazing Rye (green manure)
- Plant new fruit bushes, raspberries and blackberries etc
- Prune apple and pear trees.Try to take any fruit off that are still attached as they will wither and encourage mould.
Give the greenhouse a good clean and insulate. Try to cear away any plant debris or hiding places that are homes to pests that overwinter. Sow salad crops for use overwinter. You can protect against severe temperatures with Agralans range of heavy duty fleeces!
