This Month's Tips
November, 2009
What an incredible October we've had. High temperatures mean veg that has normally given up the ghost by now is still producing with gusto. We're still picking beans, courgettes and chillies outside, and stacks of quick-ripening tomatoes and red peppers in the polytunnel.
But now the Autumn weather really has arrived all of this will come to an end. It's time to clear away more delicate plants like beans, sweetcorn, courgettes, tomatoes etc and add them to the compost heap. Inevitably this clearing up will create bare patches of ground.
Revitalise Your Plot
Think about replenishing nutrients for 2010. Vegetables are fast growing plants that are very demanding on soil. Plus you're removing the plants to eat, rather than allowing them to die/decompose as they would in nature. So it's doubly important to put vitality back if you want a good crop next year.
Green manures like clover are a tempting option but we find them too fiddly and time consuming. Because we (and hopefully you) have lots of veg that will carry on growing through the winter we simply don't have that much bare ground - probably only about 20% once we've sown all the garlic. Sowing a green manure in each of these pockets of soil would be a hassle.
We find it more practical to mulch with manure or compost. Now's the perfect time to do it. Lay it over bare soil about 2in deep and just leave it. The forthcoming frosts will break it down, worms will incorporate it and rain will wash the nutrients into your soil. By the spring it will have virtually vanished, so you won't even have to dig your soil to sow your new crops unless it's been heavily compacted by walking on it.
It's also a good idea to lay manure/compost around plants you're going to be growing right through the winter too like kale, chard, purple-sprouting broccoli to give them a nutrient boost.
We use mountains of the stuff. Isn't it beautiful?!
Preparing Fresh Ground
There may also be additional areas of ground you might want to cultivate for 2010. As most of you will know our approach is all about cultivating small, manageable areas of ground and ensuring they're jammed full of great veg. Don't over-stretch yourself, but if you want to cultivate new areas of ground, here's an easy way to do it without polluting your soil with chemical herbicides.
Many areas of uncultivated areas of ground are full of weeds. If they're higher than 1ft it's a good idea to strim the area first to ground level. Then lay a sheet of black plastic over it and peg it in firmly around the edges.
I've seen people use old plastic tarpaulins that are often green or blue. These don't work. The material has to be black otherwise some light will get through and the weeds will carry on growing.
By springtime your ground should be weed free and ready for sowing. Test it by digging up a small section and seeing if there are any live roots. If all's good, dig the whole area, incorporating manure/compost as you go. Then get growing!
New Growing Kits!
We launched our Growing Kit range this month. They include everything you need to get a crop of veg started, no matter what space you've got available. My wife likes to call them 'Tin Pot's'. I'm not quite so sure on the name.
If you want something that will look great on your kitchen windowsill, and provide you with delicious herbs as you cook, you might be interested in our Kitchen Herb Pots .
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