Getting the Allotment Ready for Autumn

Autumn squash.

There’s something about September that always makes me look at the allotment slightly differently.

One minute I’m happily picking tomatoes, pulling carrots and wondering how on earth the courgettes can possibly produce another one, and the next I’m noticing the first signs that summer is beginning to fade.

The evenings are getting shorter, the mornings have that little hint of coolness, and suddenly my thoughts turn to preparing the allotment for autumn.

I actually rather enjoy this time of year. There’s still plenty growing and harvesting to do, but there’s also that satisfying feeling of getting everything tidied up and ready for the months ahead.

Clearing away the summer crops

The first job is having a good look at what has finished producing.

Some of my summer crops will continue for a little while yet, particularly the tomatoes if the weather stays kind, but anything that has completely given up can be cleared away.

There’s something very satisfying about pulling out tired old plants and reclaiming a little bit of space.

I try not to leave healthy plant material lying around unnecessarily, as autumn is the perfect time for pests and diseases to make themselves at home.

Anything that is healthy can go onto the compost heap, while anything diseased is better dealt with separately.

And, of course, I always leave a few seed heads standing if I can. Not everything needs to be completely tidied away. The birds appreciate those little food stores, and I rather like a garden and allotment that still has some life and movement through autumn and winter.

Don't leave the soil bare

One of the things I’ve become much more conscious of over the years is looking after the soil.

Once a bed has finished producing, it can be tempting simply to dig it over and leave it until spring. But bare soil is vulnerable to being washed away by heavy rain and can quickly become compacted.

This is where compost comes in.

I like to add a good layer of homemade compost or well-rotted organic matter over empty beds. I don't dig it into the soil either as i prefer the no dig gardening aproch. Sometimes simply spreading it over the surface and allowing the worms and weather to do their work is enough.The worms, after all, are rather good at doing the digging for us! I do try to cover the area with a plasic sheet or tarp and let the worms do there thing underneath and the weeds are supressed atleast until spring. This methord also makes the earth nice and warm in the spring and I find thing germinate that little bit quicker.

Planting for autumn and winter

Of course, September doesn't mean the allotment is finished for the year.

Far from it.

There are still plenty of things that can be planted and sown for autumn, winter and even early spring harvesting.

Winter salads, spinach, spring onions and hardy herbs can all make useful additions, depending on the conditions and what space you have available.

Garlic is another favourite of mine. Autumn planting gives it plenty of time to establish before winter really arrives, ready to get growing again when spring comes around.

I always find it slightly magical planting something in autumn knowing that I won't see much happening above ground for months, but underneath the soil everything is quietly getting on with things.

Give the greenhouse a little attention

My greenhouse also gets a bit of an autumn tidy.

It’s amazing how quickly it can become cluttered during the summer when you're concentrating on keeping everything watered and fed rather than worrying about how things look.

Once the tomatoes and other summer plants have finished, I like to clear away old leaves and plant debris and give the greenhouse a good clean.

A clean greenhouse means more light during those darker winter months and, hopefully, fewer opportunities for pests and diseases to overwinter.

It's also a good opportunity to check that everything is secure before the autumn winds arrive. There is nothing quite like finding a greenhouse panel has blown out on a windy Dorset evening to remind you that you should have checked it earlier!

Collecting leaves

Autumn will soon bring us one of my favourite free garden resources — fallen leaves.

Rather than seeing them simply as something to rake up and dispose of, I collect as many as I can and make leaf mould.

It takes time, but leaf mould is wonderful stuff for the garden and allotment.

I have a particular soft spot for anything that costs nothing and improves the soil, and leaves certainly fit the bill.

It's one of those jobs where you do the work now and then forget about it for months, knowing that eventually you'll have lovely crumbly leaf mould to use around the garden.

Altenativly I make a lasagne of cardboard manure and leaves on my beds and then cover for the winter. I aways fork holes in the cardboard and water it well befor adding the next layer of whatever i have collected.

Weeding before winter

September is also a good time to tackle those weeds that have somehow managed to hide amongst everything else.

I try to deal with perennial weeds before they get a chance to settle in for winter. And those little weeds that have appeared in the paths and around the edges are much easier to deal with now than they will be next spring.

Although I’m not aiming for a perfectly pristine allotment.

There’s something rather lovely about an allotment that looks lived in. A few weeds here and there don't bother me too much, especially if they're providing food or shelter for insects.

Looking back while planning ahead

Perhaps that's what I like most about preparing the allotment for autumn.

It’s a chance to pause.

The growing season has been full of planting, watering, picking, eating and occasionally wondering why I thought growing quite so many plants was a good idea!

Now I can look back at what worked, what didn't and what I might do differently next year.

Which varieties were worth growing again?

Which crops took up far too much space?

What disappeared overnight thanks to the local wildlife?

And, perhaps most importantly, what shall I grow more of next year?

There’s always a plan forming.

A slower season ahead

As summer gradually gives way to autumn, the allotment becomes a little quieter.

But it certainly doesn't become less interesting.

There are still vegetables to harvest, seeds to collect, bulbs to plant and soil to care for. And before long there will be the first frosty mornings, muddy boots and those lovely crisp autumn days when being outside feels like exactly where you should be.

So, for now, I’m enjoying these last weeks of summer while slowly preparing the allotment for autumn.

There’s something rather comforting about knowing that, even as this year's growing season begins to wind down, the next one is already quietly being prepared beneath our feet.

And I think that's one of the things I love most about growing your own.

There is always something to look forward to.