As I write this in mid October we have just had our first frost and the winter months are now with us.
The arrival of a frost will hasten the falling of leaves. These are best removed regularly from lawns but if possible leave a couple of piles in the wilder parts of the garden for wild life. On the compost heap keep the leaves well mixed with paper and cardboard.
The alternative is to make leaf mould. The easiest way to do this is to three quarters full a plastic bin bag and then the male members of the household urinate into it. Then seal the bag and make a few holes in it with a fork. Put aside for a couple of years and that’s it. The resulting leaf mould makes an excellent mulch and can be added to homemade potting compost.
Once you have cleared and cleaned the unused parts of the vegetable plot you have to decide what to do next to protect the ground over the winter. If left open the danger is that the winter rains will leach out a lot of the nutrients and wash away the fine soil leaving a stony and depleted soil.
The real enthusiast will plant a covering of green manure which essentially is a mixture of bean and clover seeds that will grow and protect the soil and can be dug in in the early spring before they set seeds. They therefore also provide compost and a degree of nitrogen fixation.
Perhaps an easier alternative is to cover the soil with a layer of compost and manure and then cover it with either old cardboard or plastic sheeting. The soil is protected, the compost will help add nutrients and the covering will suppress weeds.
There are two crops that can be planted now to over winter with the onions garlic and shallots. The first is broad beans. The best is Aquadulce Claudia which is a tall variety and will withstand any amount of frost. The Sutton is a dwarf variety but not quite so hardy and does benefit from some protection during the coldest spells. Also being a dwarf variety it is more prone to slug damage but having said all that is valuable where space is limited.
Start off inside in modules if like me you are plagued by squirrels and mice . Plant out at the four leave stage.
Secondly there over wintering peas. The two main varieties are Meteor and Douce Provence. Meteor is probably the most hardy but Douce Provence produces the tastier pea. Again start off inside and protect from slugs and snails. Although dwarf varieties a degree of support will be needed.
Clear and empty greenhouses and poly tunnels and sterile everything using Jeyes fluid which can also be used for cleaning pots, trays and tools.
Remember to regularly check stored potatoes and onions.
Keep overwintering onions garlic and shallots weed free and check for interference from birds.
Finally gather together all the catalogues that are now arriving and put them aside for a cold wet winters day when you can start to dream of the wonderful things you are going to grow in the coming year.
Good Gardening
Peter Estcourt