Below is a year planner for duties on your allotment............this is the longest page on the site! Grab yourself a big slice of cake and sit back and study this at your leisure!!!

All information is supplied in good faith following research of numerous sources both at the local library and on the internet. It is provided for the assistance for all in growing their crops on their allotment/garden.  If you would like us to add anything or have any additional information you think we could include, please let us know.

 

 

January

Fruit:

• Inspect stored fruit and discard any that has rotted
• Spray fruit trees and bushes with a tar-oil winter wash
• continue planting if soil conditions are suitable
• check stakes, ties, framework supports and wires and replace or repair, if required
• Continue pruning trees and bushes
• any trees and bushes grown on grass need a nitrogen feed this month.

Vegetables:

• plant rhubarb roots
• cover established rhubarb with compost
• to encourage early rhubarb growth cover with straw or a large bin
• Shallots can be planted if the soil is well drained
• Take Chicory roots into the greenhouse for forcing.
• Order Potato tubers and when they arrive place in trays to chit.
• Lift Celery, Parsnips and Jerusalem Artichokes as required.
• Clear away stems and roots of cabbages that have finished cropping.
• If the soil is not too wet dig over any beds ready for planting in spring.
• Cover with Black polythene or cloches, any beds that will be used for early crops. This will help to warm the soil.
• Inspect any vegetables still in store for decay.
• Celery may need extra protection if the weather is severe.
• In milder areas sow Lettuce, Carrots, Radish, Onions, Broad beans and round seeded Peas under cloches for early crops.
• Clean any decaying leaves from over wintering lettuce in cold frames.
• Continue winter digging if ground conditions permit.
• Clear away the stems of Brussels Sprouts that have been picked.
• Purple Sprouting Broccoli and Kale should now be ready for harvesting.

Herbs:

• This is a good time to plan your herb garden while the plants are dormant

Greenhouse:

• Insulate greenhouse
• sow early tomatoes for heated greenhouse
• sow dwarf French beans, leeks and onions
• chit seed potatoes
• plant early pot-grown potatoes and rhubarb for forcing
• sow peas in guttering for an early start

General:

• service mechanical machinery ready for spring
• check the seed catalogues and order any seeds onion sets and plants required
• check sundries like stakes, bean poles, canes, netting, fertilisers etc.
• tidy up the shed while its still quite quiet.

 

FEBRUARY

Fruit:

• continue planting if soil conditions are suitable
• check stakes, ties, framework supports and wires and replace or repair, if required
• Continue pruning trees and bushes
• cover strawberries with cloches planted for early fruiting

Vegetables:

• Transplant Autumn sown onions to their final place.
• Continue to plant Shallots.
  
• Plant Garlic bulbs.
  
• Check soil pH and add lime, if needed, to the Brassicas bed.
  
• If the soil is not too wet sow Parsnip seeds.
  
• In milder areas, Sow Broad beans under cloches for an early crop.
  
• Ensure that Autumn sown Onions are kept free of weeds.
  
• Feed Asparagus plants with a general fertiliser at the rate of 2oz per Sq. Yd.
  
• Lift any remaining Parsnips still in the ground from last year.
  
• In sheltered areas plant Shallots.
  
• Check spring cabbage and firm the soil around any that have been loosened by movement. Dress with a quick acting Nitrogenous fertiliser such as Nitrate of Soda to help increase growth.
  
• Clean established Asparagus beds ready for spring growth.Top dress with well rotted manure or compost.
  
• Plant out Jerusalem Artichokes.
  
• Put Early Potato tubers to chit.
  
• Sow early cabbage.
  
• Sow Lettuce and Radish (under cloches if necessary).
  
• Sow Broads beans.
  
• Sow peas in a sheltered border.
  
• Plant out shallots.
  
• In sheltered areas, Peas, Onions, Carrots, radish and early lettuce can be sown. In less
  sheltered areas they can be planted under cloches.
  
• Now is the time to prepare new Asparagus beds. As this is a permanent crop the ground must be well prepared. This means removing all weeds and digging the bed to a spades depth. Incorporate plenty of manure or compost in the bottom and a dressing of Bone meal. Three year old crowns are usually advised but you can use 1 year old crowns if you are prepared to wait a bit longer before cropping.
  
• Lift and divide Rhubarb if it is getting congested.

Greenhouse:

• Keep on top of greenhouse hygiene: wash and sterilize seed trays and pots
  
• Continue careful heating, watering and ventilation
  
• Check insulation
  
• Sow early melons and cucumbers for raising in a heated greenhouse
  
• Sow early broad beans and early peas if not done in autumn
  
• Sow early lettuce, cauliflower, cabbage and brussels sprouts

Herbs:

• prepare soil for new herb bed by digging and incorporate peat and compost to lighten the soil
  
• sow parsley if the weather is dry and not to cold
  
• propagate mint by runners
  
• Divide herbs such as Sage and Thyme and cut back any excess growth to encourage new fresh growth.
  
• Divide and replant Chive Plants.

General:

• Keep an eye out for slugs on early sowings in cloches.
  
• Pre-warm the soil by covering with cloches or black polythene.
• Have you cleaned your shed yet?
• Is your equipment working ready for the spring

 

MARCH

Fruit:

• Complete planning of new fruit areas
• Complete planting as soon as soil conditions permit
• Firm trees and bushes lifted by frost
• Complete pruning of trees and bushes
• Feed established trees
• Spray apples, cherries, peaches, nectarines, pears, plums and damsons.
• Train new shoots of blackberries and loganberries on to wires.
• Protect flowers on wall-trained peaches and nectarines and pollinate artificially if insects are scarce
• Plant raspberries and strawberries

Vegetables:

• Sow seeds for main crop Brussels Sprouts
• Sow seeds of late summer cabbages
• Sow leeks
• Sow summer spinach
• Sow parsnips if ground is not too wet
• Sow maincrop leeks, peas and carrots.
• Sow salad onions and radishes
• Plant early potatoes in the middle of the month
• Feed winter lettuce with a general fertiliser to boost growth.
• Place maincrop potatoes in trays to 'chit'.
• Plant out young lettuce under cloches.
• If soil has dried enough to work, prepare seedbeds by raking to a fine tilth.
• Sow Parsnips, Onions and Broad beans.
• Plant Horseradish and Jerusalem Artichokes
• Sow lettuce under cloches.
• Boost the growth of spring cabbage by top dressing with a high nitrogen fertiliser such as nitro chalk.
• Plant more early potatoes to give a succession of crop.
• Start Mint (preferably in a container such as a bucket to restrict root spread)
• Plant maincrop Peas.
• Sow a catch crop of Lettuce, radish or spinach in-between the rows of peas.
• Sow turnips in rich ground.
• If Rhubarb has been forced, remove covers to prevent the plants becoming too weak.
• Sow Onion sets.
• Plant out new crowns of asparagus.
• Plant out strawberry plants.
• Plant more early potatoes to give a succession of crop.
• Plant early potatoes.
• Prepare celery trenches and work in plenty of well-rotted manure.
• Broad beans and Peas started off in pots can now be hardened off ready for transplanting.
• Plant out onion sets.
• Sow spinach.
• Plant out Jerusalem Artichokes.
• Lime any sites to be used for brassicas if this was not done in the autumn.

Greenhouse:

• Make successional sowings of salad vegetables
• Sow herbs, summer cabbage, cauliflowers and winter celery
• Sow melons, cucumbers, sweet peppers and aubergines
• Sow tomatoes for unheated greenhouse and outside
• Sow basil

Herbs:

• Prepare seed bed as soon as soil is warm
• Sow small amounts of chives, chervil, dill, marjoram, parsley and sorrel.
• Layer shoots of pot marjoram and devide fennel roots
• Split old clumps of sorrel

General:

• Keep an eye out for slugs on early sowings in cloches.
  
• Pre-warm the soil by covering with cloches or black polythene.
• Have you cleaned your shed yet?
• Is your equipment working ready for the spring?
• Is it time to give your grass paths a cut

 

APRIL

Fruit:

• Watch flowering and setting of apples, pears, plums, and cherries to ascertain probable size of crop.
• Keep a watch for pests on flowers and fruitlets
• Check the cross pollination is effective.
• Protect wall trees and soft fruit bushes against frost while in bloom.
• Plant late-flowering strawberries.
• Check tree ties and stakes to prevent rocking.
• Mulch around trees and water newly planted fruit.
• Spray apples, blackcurrants, peaches, and nectarines, pears, plums and strawberries.
• Give a fine spray of water to open peach and nectarine flowers to help setting.
• Ensure that pollinating insects can reach flowers on cloched strawberries.
• Remove flowers from immature and autumn -fruiting runners

Vegetables:

• Sow Asparagus seed
• Continue to sow Lettuce, Radish, Carrots and Peas.
• It is probably a bit early to sow French beans but if the weather is mild try sowing a few under cloches for an early crop
• Sow Beetroot for an early crop.
• Most Brassicas ( Cabbage, Broccoli, Kale ) can now be sown.
• Continue to plant chitted potatoes.
• Sow Salsify and Scorzonera.
• Earth up any Potatoes that are beginning to come through.
• Put up supports for Runner beans over the previously prepared trenches.
• Continue hoeing all beds to prevent weeds.
• Most hardy vegetable seeds can be sown now.
• Plant out chitted potatoes if the weather is mild and the ground is not waterlogged.
• Plant Asparagus crowns in the bed prepared previously.
• Brussels Sprouts sown earlier in the frame or greenhouse can be transplanted to open ground.
• Ensure that the soil is firmed well after planting.
• Sprouting Broccoli should now be ready for picking. Pick regularly to ensure continued growth of new shoots.
• Complete the planting of early Potatoes and start to plant Maincrop.
• Thin out early vegetables sown under cloches.
• Plant out seedlings of Broad beans and peas that have previously been hardened off.
• Sow Parsley for summer use.
• Thin out Parsnip that were sown last month.
• Hoe any seed beds to ensure that no weeds appear to suffocate the seedlings and to ensure the soil is aerated.
• Erect protection (or use fleece) around Carrots against Carrot Fly
• Plant final maincrop Potatoes.
• Prepare trenches for Runner Beans by incorporating plenty of manure or compost.
• Plant onion sets
• Transplant Onions that were sown in the greenhouse in December to their final positions.

Greenhouse:

• Sow melons, cucumbers and tomatoes for outside cultivation
• Sow sweetcorn, marrows, courgettes, runnerbeans and French beans
• Plant cucumbers and melons in an unheated greenhouse
• Start vines in an unheated greenhouse and pollinate early starters
• Thin peaches and nectarines
• Pollinate strawberries
• Check heaters and ventilators
• Apply shading if necessary
• Check for pests and diseases

Herbs:

• Sow small amounts of dill, fennel, marjoram, and thyme.
• Make further sowings of parsley.
• Thin seeds sown in March
• Hoe to prevent weeds.
• Plant out rooted cuttings of bay, lavender, mint, rosemary, and sage.

General:

• Keep an eye out for slugs on early sowings in cloches.
  
• Have you cleaned your shed yet?
• Is your equipment working ready for the spring?
• Is it time to give your grass paths a cut

 

MAY

Fruit:

• Watch for pests and control as necessary
• Water fruit trees and bushes in dry weather while fruit is swelling
  
• Bark ring apples and pears if necessary to encourage fruiting
  
• Feed apples, pears, cherries, blackberries, loganberries, blackcurrants, gooseberries,
• peaches and nectarines, plums, damsons, raspberries and redcurrants.
  
• Spray apples, pears, cherries, blackberries, blackcurrants, gooseberries, peaches and
• nectarines, strawberries.
  
• Tie up new growth on blackberries and loganberries.
  
• Control weeds around trees and bushes.
  
• Start thinning fruit on well-trained trees.
  
• Remove overcrowded and surplus shoots from raspberries and apply a mulch.
  
• Protect Strawberry fruits with straw or paper collars and scatter slug pellets.
  
• De-blossom immature and autumn-fruiting strawberry runners
  
• Start summer pruning vines

Vegetables

• Cover potatoes if frost threatens
  
• Prepare sites for growing marrows and pumpkins
  
• Prepare planting sites for tomatoes
  
• Sow French beans
  
• Keep up sowings of seeds such as beetroot, beans, leaf beet, sprouting broccoli, calabrese, cauliflower and kale to keep a succession of crops going.
  
• Plant outdoor tomatoes but ensure that they have protection at night.
  
• Sow Swede seeds.
  
• Make sure that all vegetables under cloches are kept well watered.
  
• Sow more peas for a succession of crop.
  
• Plant Cucumbers in cold frames.
  
• Potatoes should be earthed up regularly. A little general fertiliser sprinkled between the rows will help growth.
  
• Sow sweetcorn in blocks outdoors.
  
• Transplant Brussels Sprouts previously grown in seedbeds or greenhouse.
  
• Sow more Peas for a succession of crop.
  
• Sow seeds of Broccoli (Calabrese) , Kale, Endive, Chicory, Swede, Courgettes and Pumpkins.
  
• Sow Sweetcorn direct into the soil where they are to mature.
  
• Sow seeds of Lettuce and Radish for continuous crops.
  
• Plant out Summer cabbages and Brussels Sprouts that have been previously grown in a coldframe.
  
• Continue to hoe all beds to keep weeds down.
  
• Thin Beetroot seedlings to about 9" apart or 6" if smaller baby beets are required.
  
• Thin out Carrots previously sown and sow more for a succession of crop.
  
• Plant out celery in blocks.
  
• Once broad beans have stopped flowering, pinch out the tips as a prevention against Blackfly.

Herbs:

• Cut herbs as required for use fresh or for drying. Sow more seeds if needed.
• Sow basil now that the temperatures are higher.
  
• Plant up a herb pot for use in the house.
  
• Start to harvest the young shoots fennel, dill, chives and parsley. This will also help to encourage bushy new growth.
• Sow seeds of chervil, coriander and parsley.

Greenhouse:

• Sow melons,and cucumbers for outside cultivation
• Sow sweetcorn, marrows, courgettes, runnerbeans and French beans
• Plant cucumbers and melons in an unheated greenhouse
• Start vines in an unheated greenhouse and pollinate early starters
• Thin peaches and nectarines
• Pollinate strawberries
• Check heaters and ventilators
• Apply shading if necessary
• Check for pests and diseases

 

General:

• Check sundries like stakes, bean poles, canes, netting, fertilisers etc.
• Tidy up the shed while its still quite quiet.

 

JUNE

Fruit:

• Watch for pests and diseases
• Thin fruit if crop is heavy
• Harvest strawberries
• Spray apples and pears, blackberries, loganberries, gooseberries, peaches and nectarines plums and damsons, cherries and raspberries.
• Water and mulch to ensure sufficent water to apples pears and blackcurrants.
• Check weeds around trees and bushes growing in cultivated soil
• Tie sacking around apple and pear trunks to catch apple blossom weevils.
• Destroy fruits attacked by sawfly
• Train in new blackberry and loganberry shoots
• Summer prune gooseberries.
• Tie in new wall-trained peach and nectarine shoots.
• Protect fruiting plum,. damson and cherry trees, red currants, raspberries and strawberries against birds.
• Anchor healthy strawberry runners so that they form new plants.
• Summer prune outdoor vines.

Vegetables:

• Plant out Marrows and Courgettes in positions previously prepared.
• Plant out Sweetcorn that has been started in the greenhouse or frame.
• Continue to thin out Carrots, Beetroot, Endive and Chicory.
• Plant out Celery and Celeriac grown in the greenhouse, into the prepared beds.
• Sow white Turnips as a catch crop in-between rows of Peas.
• Plant outdoor Tomatoes into prepared sites.
• Continue to thin Carrots and Beetroot as needed.
• Stop Cucumbers growing in frames. As the fruits form put a piece of slate or tile under it to keep it off the soil.
• Remove any flower spikes that have grown on rhubarb.
• Fold a leaf over any Cauliflowers that are beginning to form. This will help keep them clean.
• Keep a general eye on crops for pests and spray as required.
• Most herbs will now be at their peak and can be picked and stored for later use in cooking.
• Ensure that beans are kept well watered and apply a mulch if not already done so.
• Transplant Leeks to the previously prepared bed ready for winter use.
• Transplant Savoy and January King Cabbages.
• Sow more peas for a succession.
• Continue to sow Lettuce and Radish.
• Parsley can also be sown now for winter and spring use.
• Asparagus has probably finished cropping now so apply a general fertiliser to the bed at the rate of 2oz to Sq. Yd.
• Take out sideshoots of tomatoes (not the bush varieties though).
• Stop cutting asparagus to allow the ferns to grow. Feed with a general fertiliser.
• Earth up late potatoes and ensure that they are well watered.
• Stop Cucumbers in frames by pinching out the growing tip. This encourages fruit bearing sideshoots to grow. These sideshoots should be stopped at the fourth leaf.
• Pinch out the tips of Broad beans to encourage fruiting and prevent Blackfly from colonising the tip.
• Thin out Spinach seedlings sown in May.
• Lift early Potatoes and prepare the ground for planting Leeks.
• Keep Onions and Shallots watered well and feed weekly with a general fertiliser.
• Thin out Scorzonera and Salsify sown in May.
• Keep French beans, runner beans and courgettes well watered.
• Sow Swedes to overwinter.

Herbs:

• Sow further rows of chervil and dill, thin established seedlings.
• Control weeds by frequent hoeing.
• Take and insert more rosemary and sage cuttings
• Start picking herbs

Greenhouse:

• Keep a check on temperatures by regulating the ventilation
• Put up shading where necessary
• Check watering requirements daily
• Train tomatoes and cucumbers
• Remove sideshoots from tomatoes
• Water and feed carefully
• Harden off aubergines, sweet peppers, marrows and ridge cucumbers.
• Thin grapes
• Water and feed peaches, nectarines and strawberries.

General:

• Cut grass paths
• Check plant supports for movement
• Keep weeds down by hoeing
• Watch for slugs and pests

 

JULY

Fruit:

• Pick soft fruits
• Summer prune trees grown in restricted form
• Support heavy cropping branches of apples, pears and plums.
• Spray apples, pears, blackberries, loganberries, plums and damsons.
• Complete thinning apple and pear fruits.
• Check that ties on trained trees are not too tight
• Train in new blackberry and loganberry shoots
• Check weeds around trees and bushes growing in cultivated soil.
• Pick blackcurrant fruit and prune bushes.
• Destroy bushes infected with reversion virus.
• Tie in replacement shoots on peaches and nectarines.
• Protect peaches against birds, wasps and earwigs.
• Support heavy laden plum branches.
• Prune trees after picking.
• Pick raspberries, cut down old canes and remove weak new shoots. Tie in new shoots and control weeds.
• Tidy up strawberry beds and discard plants that have given three crops.
• Continue summer pruning of vines.

Vegetables:

• Clear away any early crops that have finished to make room for catch crops of Carrots or Beetroot.
  
• Sow an early maturing Pea such as Meteor or Kelvedon Wonder to catch a late crop of Peas.
  
• Sow late Savoy Cabbage. Sow thinly where the plants are to mature and thin to 5" apart later.
  
• Plant winter Cabbage such as January King. This is probably the latest you can do this to achieve a winter crop.
  
• The same goes for autumn headed Cauliflowers and Broccoli.
  
• Keep Celery well watered. It will run to seed if allowed to go dry.
  
• Spray Maincrop Potatoes against Blight with a copper based fungicide.
  
• Continue to pinch out sideshoots of tomatoes.
  
• Earth up around sweetcorn to encourage basal shoots and ensure that the plants are kept well watered.
  
• Feed Onions and keep the beds well hoed. 
  
• Sow Endive for autumn and winter use.
  
• Sow Spinach Beet and Seakale for use over winter.
  
• Mulch French and Runner beans to conserve moisture.
  
• Regularly water plants in frames to ensure that they do not dry out.
  
• Sow Spinach to ensure a regular supply.
  
• Sow more Lettuce, Radish and salad Onions for succession.
  
• Pick courgettes while they are young. This will encourage more fruits to form.
  
• Keep an eye on Brassicas for the eggs of Cabbage White Butterfly. Squash the eggs on the underside of plants before they do any damage or spray with Derris.
  
• Spray Celery with a combined fungicide/insecticide against Leaf spot disease and Celery fly.
  
• Spray Runner Beans daily to assist the setting of their flowers. Continue to water freely.
  
• Sow Turnips for a succession.
  
• Continue to pick young courgettes to ensure crop succession. If you are growing a marrow for size, remove all new flowers and fruits to ensure maximum growth.
  
• The planting of sprouting Broccoli and Kale should be completed as soon as possible.
  
• Cucumbers in frames should be fed once a week and kept well watered.
  
• Feed Onions for the last time.
  
• Lift Shallots and Garlic and dry in the sun.
  

Herbs

• Make further sowings of chervil, dill and parsley.
• Harvest herbs just before they come into full bloom.
• Dry herbs in an airing cuboard.
• Cut lavender for drying and storing.

Greenhouse:

• Careful ventilation is essential to control greenhouse temperatures
• Put up permanent shading
• Water as and when necessary
• Check for pests and diseases
• Service heaters ready for next year
• Water and feed plants as necessary
• Train tomatoes, cucumbers and melons
• Thin grapes
• Feed and water all fruit
• Harvest ripe fruit
• Select strawberry runners for forcing next year.

General:

• Cut grass paths
• check plant supports for movement
• Keep weeds down by hoeing
• watch for slugs and pests

 

AUGUST

Fruit

• Pick early apples and pears while under-ripe.
• Summer prune restricted forms of apples and pears.
• Pick loganberries, cut out fruited shoots, and tie in new shoots.
  
• Spray blackcurrant's and cherries.
  
• Prune fruited shoots of wall-trained peaches.
  
• Support heavily laden plum branches and complete pruning.
  
• Protect September fruiting raspberries against birds and wasps.
  
• Plant rooted strawberry runners.
  
• Protect ripening grapes with glass.

Vegetables

• Cut Marrows and Courgette's as they are needed.
  
• Thin out sowings of Spinach and Seakale sown last month.
  
• Gather French and Runner beans while young and tender.
  
• If there is any bare ground without a crop in it, consider planting a green manure such as Rape or Mustard to help with the soil fertility next year.
  
• Sow Onion seed in a cold frame for transplanting in Spring.
  
• Sow Spring salad onions such as White Lisbon.
  
• Continue to watch for Blight on Potatoes and spray with a fungicide if found. It is also worth checking outdoor Tomatoes for signs of this disease as they are part of the same family so can also get it.
  
• Start to blanch Celery by wrapping the shoots in newspaper or corrugated cardboard and earth up the plants.
  
• Make sowings of Chinese leaves, leaf beet and spinach for crops into autumn and winter.
  
• Sow seeds of spring cabbages
  
• Pick runner beans frequently to encourage more flowering and keep well watered to prevent flower drop.
  
• Keep an eye on Brassicas for whitefly. Spray at first signs to keep down infestations.
  
• Continue to keep Celery and Runner beans well watered. They will benefit from a feed at this time.
  
• Japanese Onions sown last Autumn should now be ready for lifting. Place on trays to ripen in the sun.
  
• Keep an eye on Peas for Mildew, spray with fungicide at first sign of infection.
  
• Sow Spring Cabbage seeds.
  
• Make a further sowing of Lettuce for late Autumn use.
  
• Cut Cucumbers in frames as they mature.
  
• Continue to feed outdoor Tomatoes and remove some of the lower leaves to allow the sun to ripen the fruit
  
• Brussels Sprouts and other winter greens will benefit from a feed of general fertiliser sprinkled around the base of each plant. Do not let it touch the leaves or they may scorch.
  
• Sow more winter salads and Chinese leaves.
  
• Cut back the stems of potatoes, particularly if they are showing signs of blight, and lift the first main crop varieties. If slugs are causing problems, consider lifting all of them and placing in storage.
  
• Stake Brussels sprouts as they get bigger to prevent them from rocking in the wind and becoming loose.

Herbs

• Take cuttigs of bay, lavender, mint, rosemerry, rue and sage, and insert in sandy soil in
• open ground, or in pots in a cold frame.
  
• Divide chives every fourth year.
  
• Collect and dry dill and fennel seeds.
• Store dried herbs before they have had time to re-absorb moisture

Greenhouse

• Keep the greenhouse cool by careful shading and ventilation
  
• Water Carefully throughout the month
  
• Sow lettuce for winter cropping
  
• Harvest tomatoes, cucumbers, sweet peppers and aubergines
  
• Train, feed and side shoot tomatoes
  
• Train and feed cucumbers
  
• Water a feed vines carefully
  
• Harvest peaches and nectarines
  
• Harvest strawberries
  
• Pot up newly rooted strawberry runners.

General:

• Cut grass paths
• Check plant supports for movement
• Keep weeds down by hoeing
• Watch for slugs and pests

 

SEPTEMBER

Fruit

• Plan for new planting season, and order trees. Choose late-flowering varieties for frosty areas.
• Cut down grass around established trees
• Prepare storage areas for storing apples and pears
• Pick fruit in cool conditions before fully mature
• Complete summer pruning of apples and pears.
• Harvest blackberries and loganberries, cut away old growth, and tie in new.
• Prune well-trained peaches and tie in new shoots
• Spray cherries
• Pick plums and damsons and prune trees
• Pick September fruiting raspberries
• Protect autumn fruiting strawberries against birds and slugs and cover with cloches in cold weather

Vegetables

• Lift Carrots and Beetroot and place in store.
• Transplant Lettuce sown last month to cold frame for winter use.
  
• Continue to earth up Celery.
  
• String up Onions or put in storage in net bags.
  
• Lift a few plants of Endive and place in a frame. Cover with pots to blanch them.
  
• Test Maincrop Potatoes to see if they are ready for lifting. This is done by digging up a tuber and rubbing the skin to see if has set. If the skin does not rub off easily the Potatoes are ready for lifting.
  
• Gather all outdoor Tomatoes including the green ones before they are damaged by frost. The green fruits can be ripened indoors on a sunny windowsill.
  
• Ensure that ripening Onions are kept dry. Place them in a cold frame if necessary.
  
• Lift, dry and store Shallots.
  
• Feed Leeks with a general fertiliser.
  
• Place excess Marrows in store. A good way of storing them is to place them in net bags in a cool dry place.
  
• Sow green manures for overwinter growing.
  
• Onions should now be ready for lifting and ripening.
  
• Continue to pick French and Runner beans so that they do not become stringy.
  
• Continue to earth up celery a little at a time.
  
• Pick sweetcorn as soon as it is ready. If left too long it will not be as sweet and will be starchy.
  
• If the haulms of maincrop potatoes have died down, lift, dry and store the tubers to prevent attacks by slugs or blight spores.

Herbs

• Sow parsley and chervil to provide a spring crop
• Divide and replant clumps bergamot
• Under glass take cuttings of bay and rue
• Take cuttings of lavender and protect with aframe or cloche

Greenhouse

• Overhaul heating equipment
  
• Ventilate and water carefully, as this is important
• Remove permanent shading
  
• Harvest tomatoes, cucumbers, sweet peppers and aubergines
  
• Harvest Melons when ripe
• Prick out lettuce
• Check temperature changes in greenhouses containing ripening fruit
• check for pests and disease
• Harvest peaches and nectarines

General:

• Cut grass paths
• Check plant supports for movement
• Keep weeds down by hoeing
• Watch for slugs and pests
• Check seed catalogues for next yea'rs seed requirements
• Order seeds

 

OCTOBER

Fruit

• Order fruit trees and bushes for autumn delivery
• Prepare planting sites
• Control weeds around established trees
• Place greasebands around apple and cherry trees to catch winter moths
• Pick and store apples and pears as they mature
• Cut out fruited blackberry and loganberry canes and train in new shoots
• Spray cherries, peaches and nectorines.
• Take gooseberry cuttings
• Pick autumn-fruiting raspberries

Vegetables

• Plant out spring cabbages.
• Pick and take indoors the last of the tomatoes
• Plant winter and spring lettuces
• Cut remaining marrows and store in a dry, frost proof place.
• Clear away pea and bean haulm and dig vacant ground.
• Lift beetroot and store
• Dig up a couple of roots of Parsley and move them to a frame for winter use.Alternatively pot up and take indoors on a windowsill.
• Apply a general fertiliser to Brussels Sprouts and Winter Cabbage.
• Cut back the top growth of Jerusalem Artichokes to ground level.
• Lift Celeriac and store in boxes of sand in a cool place.
• Sow round seeded Peas under cloches.
• Begin double digging of any empty beds in preparation for next spring.
• Harvest Jerusalem artichokes
• Finish lifting all Potatoes before frost threatens.
• Pick the last of the Runner beans and French beans before frost kills them off.
• Late sowings of French beans should be covered with cloches.
• Earth up Celery for the last time.
• Plant out Spring Cabbages. Firm the soil well to avoid too much movement in winter winds.
• Plant out garlic
• Plant out strawberry plants for next year.
• Order your manure ready for use.
• Lift Seakale crowns and store in sand. They will keep like this until required for forcing.
• Finish picking French and runner beans. Cover with fleece at night to protect from frost.
• Sow winter lettuce under cloches

Herbs

• Take more cuttings of bay, lavender, putting them in pots of sand in a cold frame
• Divide clumps of chives in mild weather
• Divide roots of mint, re-planting some and potting others to grow in the greenhouse
• Dig up fennel and place in boxes of peat to force in a cool greenhouse

Greenhouse

• Check heating equipment and thermostats
• Cut down on ventilation
• Water sparingly
• Harvest tomatoes and sweet peppers
• Sow lettuce for succession
• Harvest grapes
• Ripen new wood on peaches and nectarines

General

• service mechanical machinery ready for spring
• check the seed catalogues and order any seeds onion sets and plants required
• check sundries like stakes, bean poles, canes, netting, fertilisers etc.
• tidy up the shed while its still quite quiet.

 

NOVEMBER

Fruit

• Plant fruit trees and bushes. In inclement weather, store trees in a frost-free shed or heel them in outdoors. Soak dry tree roots before planting. Plant firmly and at the same depth as the trees were in the nursery.
• Prune trees after planting
• Complete work on heavy soils
• Clear weeds from around established trees and bushes.
• Start winter pruning established trees. BUT NOT cherries, peaches, nectarines, plums or damsons.
• Check that ties are not cutting bark.
• Cut out cankers and control wooly aphids.
• Inspect stored fruit, and ripen pears at room temperature

Vegetables

• Sow broadbeans outdoors for an early crop
• Continue to remove any yellowing leaves on Brussels Sprouts.
• Early Savoy Cabbages should now be ready for picking.
• Pick red cabbages, they will store better in a shed than leaving them in the ground.
• Check sheds and polytunnels for wind damage and repair before it gets worse.
• Protect winter salads like lettuce and endive from wetness by placing cloches over them.
• Lift Salsify and Scorzonera and place in storage in sand.
• Get as much winter digging done as possible before the ground becomes too wet.
• If the soil is well drained, sow round-seeded peas such as Feltham First or Meteor to over-winter in a sheltered position.
• Lift and split mature clumps of rhubarb. Replant the divided clumps. Any clumps that are not used can be left on top of the ground to be frosted for 2-3 weeks and then potted up in pots and covered with black polythene and kept at a temperature of 45F (7C) to force an early crop in spring.
• Lift and divide and replant chives. Put a couple of clumps in pots for the kitchen windowsill.
• Now is a good time to plant grape vines. They need to be planted when dormant but avoid planting in frosty weather.
• Remove any yellow or dead leaves from brassicas. Pick sprouts as they start to crop to prevent them from blowing.
• Lift roots of chicory for forcing in warmth and darkness.
• Cut down Globe artichokes and protect the crowns with straw.
• Work can be started on any empty beds by digging over and incorporating manure if required ready for next spring.
• Keep Lettuces in frames free of weeds.
• Lift and store Jerusalem Artichokes in the same way as you would Potatoes.
• Lift a few roots of Parsnips and Horseradish for use should the ground freeze up.
• If it is too wet for outside work, take the opportunity to clean up any unused cloches and tools that will not be used again until spring.
• Place container over Rhubarb and Chicory to force them.

Herbs

• Clear basil, chervil and dill, also fennel and parsley that has grown for a second season.
• Cover September sown parsley and chervil with cloches

Greenhouse

• Restrict ventilation and give careful watering
• Check heaters regularly
• Annual greenhouse clean-up campaign
• Blanch chicory and seakale
• Lift rhubarb crowns for forcing
• Sow lettuce for continuity of supply
• Prune vines once dormant
• Ventilate peaches, nectarines and strawberries

General

• service mechanical machinery ready for spring
• check the seed catalogues and order any seeds onion sets and plants required
• check sundries like stakes, bean poles, canes, netting, fertilisers etc.
• tidy up the shed while its still quite quiet.

 

DECEMBER

Fruit

• Spray all fruit trees and bushes with tar-oil winter wash when dormant.
• Continue planting in suitable conditions.
• Continue pruning
• Apply nitrogenous fertiliser to trees grown in grass
• Cut back newly planted trees and bushes

Vegetables

• Lift Celery as it is required.
• Continue to check Cabbages and Sprouts for any loosening in winds.
• Lift any root crops and store in boxes of moist sand. This is especially important if your ground is wet and heavy or you have serious problems with slugs.
• Sit down and plan out next year's crop rotation and what seeds and plants you will need.
• Check that cloches are firmly secured to prevent them blowing away in the wind.
• Brussels Sprouts and winter Broccoli should now be ready for picking.
• Consider where you are going to place your Runner beans next year and dig out a trench.
• Ridge the soil up on either side and leave it open to the beneficial effects of the winter.
• Leeks should now be ready to start lifting.

Herbs

• Protect bay, rosemary and marjoram from severe winter weather

Greenhouse

• Water and ventilate cautiously
• Insulate the greenhouse
• Light levels are critical, so consider using artificial light
• Harvest plump white chicons from forced chicory
• Continue to sow a succession of lettuce for continuity of supply
• Carry out complete winter pruning of grape vines
• Topdress peaches and nectarines
• Ventilate freely

General

• service mechanical machinery ready for spring
• check the seed catalogues and order any seeds onion sets and plants required
• check sundries like stakes, bean poles, canes, netting, fertilisers etc.
• tidy up the shed while its still quite quiet.