Jobs to do in Autumn
General
Many jobs can be completed at this time of year, both in terms of harvesting crops, preparing the soil for over wintering and planning for the following year. To store crops such as squashes, cut the ripened squashes before the last frosts and ensure the skin is hardened by leaving out in the sun for a couple of weeks, or placed under glass until they sound hollow. Ripened squash will keep for many weeks if stored in dry, ventilated and frost free conditions.
If tomatoes have not fully ripened by the end of the season, trusses or individual fruit can be ripened under glass or indoors. One way is to lay them out on a box with a banana to speed up ripening.
Gluts of produce can be managed by freezing, pickling, drying or making into chutney. Many vegetables, including parsnips, carrots, beetroot and courgettes make excellent additions to cake.
Ground can be cleared ready for digging and preparing, perhaps with lime or for manure, depending on crops to grown the following year. Ground should be roughly dug over to allow the winter weather to break it down over time.
Leaf mould can be made by gathering up fallen tree leaves and either adding to the compost heap or packing them into black plastic bags and leaving them to rot down. This can be useful to add to the soil or mixed with compost for use in pots.
Check over seeds and order for next year's planting.
Sowing
Overwintering crops, such as broad beans can be planted now, although care is needed with heavy clay soil to pick a spot with good drainage. Other crops include autumn sown onions (both seedlings and onion sets) and garlic. Spring cabbages can be sown and overwintering spinach and salad leaves if under protection such as cloches or mini polytunnels.
Harvesting
Many crops may be ready for harvesting now, before the first frosts. These include runner and dwarf beans, squashes, the last of the tomatoes and courgettes, leaf crops, brassicas, fruit such as apples, raspberries and early parsnips, sprouts and leeks.
General
Many jobs can be completed at this time of year, both in terms of harvesting crops, preparing the soil for over wintering and planning for the following year. To store crops such as squashes, cut the ripened squashes before the last frosts and ensure the skin is hardened by leaving out in the sun for a couple of weeks, or placed under glass until they sound hollow. Ripened squash will keep for many weeks if stored in dry, ventilated and frost free conditions.
If tomatoes have not fully ripened by the end of the season, trusses or individual fruit can be ripened under glass or indoors. One way is to lay them out on a box with a banana to speed up ripening.
Gluts of produce can be managed by freezing, pickling, drying or making into chutney. Many vegetables, including parsnips, carrots, beetroot and courgettes make excellent additions to cake.
Ground can be cleared ready for digging and preparing, perhaps with lime or for manure, depending on crops to grown the following year. Ground should be roughly dug over to allow the winter weather to break it down over time.
Leaf mould can be made by gathering up fallen tree leaves and either adding to the compost heap or packing them into black plastic bags and leaving them to rot down. This can be useful to add to the soil or mixed with compost for use in pots.
Check over seeds and order for next year's planting.
Sowing
Overwintering crops, such as broad beans can be planted now, although care is needed with heavy clay soil to pick a spot with good drainage. Other crops include autumn sown onions (both seedlings and onion sets) and garlic. Spring cabbages can be sown and overwintering spinach and salad leaves if under protection such as cloches or mini polytunnels.
Harvesting
Many crops may be ready for harvesting now, before the first frosts. These include runner and dwarf beans, squashes, the last of the tomatoes and courgettes, leaf crops, brassicas, fruit such as apples, raspberries and early parsnips, sprouts and leeks.