The Vegetable Plot - November

Rotate and propagate

Just as with farming, the vegetable plot needs rotation, alternating crops of vegetable families to different areas each year. It is helpful to divide the plot into sections, so in year one section one may grow potatoes, section two Legumes, onions, roots and section three Brassicas. 

Year two will see Legumes, onions and roots in section one, Brassicas in section two and so on. Rotation gives the soil a rest from each family, helping reduce the build-up of pests and disease while organising the vegetables according to the way they need cultivating. 

Seasonal crops include Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, celeriac, kohlrabi, leeks, parsnips and spinach. If you haven’t grown these and want a harvest next year, consider them in your rotation plan. 

If you can sow under glass, in a frame or greenhouse, try carrots, onions and radishes, French beans, lettuces, mustard and cress.

• Force rhubarb, chicory and seakale
• Lift Jerusalem artichokes and parsnips for storing.
• Plant fruit trees or if space is limited, why not grow some standards on a patio?
• Lift and store leeks in a bucket of compost in the greenhouse or shed
• Keep chicory that is forcing at about 13°C (55°F).
• Protect cauliflowers