Dear Plotters
October was a busy month for me, sending out reminders for renewals and showing new people round with a view to taking on a plot. We are delighted to welcome John Poole on to plot 16, Zoe Maynard on to plot 24A and Phil and Julia Atkinson on to Plot 24B. We hope that there will be time for them to get their plot in order before the onset of winter and even to plant a few broad beans!
Thank you to all of you who paid your renewals so promptly. We are now full with 2 people on the waiting list!
We had a successful working party last weekend and particular thanks go to all those who turned up to help, including Bill, Reg, Brian, Caroline, Alison and all the committee. We got a lot done, including the emptying of the water troughs, re-laying the paths round the polytunnel, tidying up the front verge and hedge and tackling the public footpath which is our responsibility too. Fences were repaired, holes in the front fence mended, rat boxes checked (thanks to Reg for dealing with this) and lots of cake was consumed in a convivial, yet socially distanced manner! Thank you to you all; we are now well prepared for winter!
If you have plants in the polytunnel, please could you clear them as soon as your crops are finished to prevent disease and so the area can be cleaned later on. A broom is there for you to sweep up and please can you remove any weeds growing in your section. Thank you.
So what can you do on Calico Field in November? Well, the answer is plenty! You can SOW early, overwintering broad beans, either in the ground or in pots under cover and you can PLANT OUT your garlic cloves, providing it’s not too boggy. Similarly, this month is the time for planting new rhubarb sets; plant new, bare rooted raspberry and blackberry canes in trenches which have been well-manured; currants and gooseberries can also be planted now.
HARVEST root vegetables, autumn brassicas and Jerusalem artichokes. Continue picking Swiss chard leaves, curly kale, autumn sown spinach and sprouting broccoli. Pick your autumn raspberries.
Use a fork to dig up any leeks which are ready and harvest trench grown celery. Dig up celeriac roots and trim before use. Lift swedes and turnips before they get too large and harvest the last of the autumn lettuces. Harvest the young top leaves of Brussels sprouts plants and eat them like spring greens.
And harvest your pumpkins, squashes and gourds and make chutney and jam for Christmas!
JOBS FOR NOVEMBER:
Clear away old plants and debris and compost them if they are not diseased. Dismantle your bean canes; weed, dig and manure your beds and cover with polythene or membranes of cardboard. Make leaf mould and cover late crops with cloches. Protect cauliflowers by bending over a few leaves over the crown, mulch celeriac and globe artichokes with straw to protect them from frost damage.
Prune gooseberries and currants and net winter cabbages.