What to Do on Your Allotment in November

November feels like the end of the allotment year — but experienced growers treat it as a maintenance month that makes everything easier in spring. The work you do now, when there is no pressure to harvest or sow, saves you twice the time next March.

What to sow and plant in November

• Garlic — last chance in most areas. Push cloves into prepared soil before the ground freezes. Even planting in cold soil gives better results than missing the season entirely.
• Broad beans — in mild, sheltered gardens (particularly the south-west), a November sowing is still viable. Protect with cloches if temperatures drop sharply.
• Winter green manures — grazing rye is the most cold-tolerant. Sow on any bed you want to protect over winter.

What to harvest in November

• Parsnips — now at peak sweetness.
• Leeks — pull as needed throughout winter.
• Brussels sprouts — continue harvesting from the bottom upwards.
• Kale and cavolo nero — cut young leaves; the plant regenerates readily.
• Celeriac — lift as needed; can stay in the ground until hard frosts.
• Chard — will continue in mild weather; protect with fleece in hard frosts.
• Stored crops — check stored onions, squash, apples, and root vegetables regularly. Remove any that are showing rot before it spreads.

Key jobs for November

Dig empty beds now. November is the ideal time to dig heavy clay soils — turn large clods to the surface and let winter frost break them down. By spring, the clods will have crumbled to a workable tilth with almost no effort. Sandy or loamy soils are better left undug and mulched (no-dig approach).

Mulch asparagus beds. Once fronds have died back and been cut, apply a 5–8cm layer of well-rotted compost over the bed. This feeds the crowns and suppresses early weeds.

Net brassicas against birds. Pigeons are particularly active from November as other food sources decline. A well-secured net over kale, Brussels sprouts, and spring cabbage is worth every minute spent putting it up.

Clean and store tools. Scrape soil from spades and forks, sand off any rust with wire wool, apply a light coating of linseed oil or WD-40 to metal parts, and hang up rather than leaving on the floor. Well-maintained tools last decades.

Pests to watch

• Slugs in mild weather — still active until the first hard frost.
• Mice — increasingly active in storage areas. Check regularly.
• Birds — pigeons and wood pigeons will strip kale and Brussels sprouts.

Quick win: order seeds now, not in January

The best-regarded UK seed companies — Real Seeds, Chiltern Seeds, Seeds of Italy, and the RHS seed schemes — sell out of popular varieties early. Order your seeds now while the full selection is available. You will be glad you did when January arrives and your top choices have "sold out" badges.