General Maintenance
- Autumn is the best time to do any major changes to the growing area, making raised beds etc.
This gives the soil time to settle over winter. - Clear autumn debris, and clean up around plants that will be over wintering.
- Continue to build the compost heap.
- Collect fallen leaves and pile into a wire container to make leaf-mould.
- Dig heavy clay soils over before the rains make it even harder work.
Vegetables
- Harvest main crop Potatoes leave on top of the soil to dry before storing in paper sacks. keep them in the dark and frost free.
- Lift root vegetables like Carrots, Turnip and Beetroot and store in boxes of damp sand.
- Dig out any remaining Onions, dry them off and store frost free.
- Any remaining outdoor Tomatoes should be harvested before any frosts.
Green fruits can be ripened indoors. - Stake tall growing Brussels Sprouts against the wind in exposed areas.
- Plant Japanese Onion sets and autumn sown Onions.
- Transplant spring Cabbage plants. you may need to protect these from birds.
- Sow hardy varieties of lettuce such as ‘Winter Density’ outside with cloche/frame protection.
- sow early forcing types of Carrot in frames for spring use.
Fruit
- Harvest any remaining Blackberries and cut out the fruited canes. Tie in this years growth to the supports.
- Prepare beds to receive new bare rooted plants in the coming months.
- Check newly planted Strawberry plant are not short of water and are clear of any fallen leaves.
- Fix grease bands to tree trunks to trap female winter moths before they can lay their eggs.
- Prune out any mildew affected shoots on Apples and Pears.
- Remove any fallen fruits that could harbor overwintering pests.
Greenhouse
- Clear plants as they finish cropping and add to the compost heap.
- Plants will now require less water as the suns intensity lessens and the days get shorter.
- Continue to ventilate the greenhouse whenever possible to get good air flow around the remaining plants.
- Clear away any debris that has accumulated over the season as this is the perfect home for pests to live out the winter.