Kitchen Garden Magazine

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Jobs for November

Growth may have slowed to a crawl on the plot now (with the exception of the weeds), but there is plenty to do to ensure bumper crops from early spring onwards. The harvest continues, too, with hardy brassicas, parsnips and stored crops to call upon. Sue Hoy, head gardener at Normanby Hall, near Scunthorpe, brings you some timely reminders to help you prioritise work on the plot this month.

KG TOP TIPS

● Tidy yellowing and dead leaves from the brassica bed to keep the plot neat and discourage pests.
● Last chance to plant garlic cloves 16-18cm (6-7 inches apart). If your soil is heavy, wait until spring.
● Dig in summer-sown green manures like clover and mustard so that they can begin breaking down in the soil.
● Globe artichoke plants can be susceptible to prolonged frosts, so protect them with a layer of straw to help them through the winter.
● Cut back the tall foliage of Jerusalem artichokes to within about 8cm (3in) of the ground to avoid wind damage. The cut stems and leaves can be left on the ground to protect the crop. Jerusalem artichokes have a delicious nutty taste, and they’re an easy crop to grow, so make a note to plant some in spring if you don’t already grow them.
● Where root crops like parsnips have been left in the ground, mark them with canes as soon as the foliage dies back so that the row is easy to see. Cover the row with straw or bracken so that the ground stays free of frost and is easy to dig.
●Clear away dead foliage from seakale and place a forcing pot or an old bucket over each plant to get tender young stems in late winter. If you can heap fresh manure around the forcing pot, this will provide additional heat for earlier forcing.

KG tip of the month

Slugs and snails are the pests which cause most problems for gardeners, so take action to reduce their numbers now. Snails begin to hibernate once temperatures drop, so if you can find their over-wintering sites and destroy them, they’ll be less of a problem next year. Check the underside of greenhouse benches, beneath windowsills and at the base of hedges and shrubs.

For lots more advice, see this month's issue, available to buy online!

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