November can feel like a strange month on the market garden.
The season isn't quite over, but everything has slowed down.
Crops grow more slowly. The days are shorter. The weather is less predictable. And suddenly there doesn't seem to be quite enough daylight to get through the jobs that were easy enough a few weeks ago.
But November is far from a quiet month.
The work just changes.
Harvest What Is Still Growing
There can still be plenty to harvest in November.
Depending on what you have planted, this might include hardy salad crops, brassicas, roots, leeks, herbs and other crops that can tolerate cooler conditions.
The challenge is often less about growing the crop and more about harvesting efficiently in cold, wet weather.
Keep harvest knives and other tools sharp and ready to use.
A tool that works well in July can become particularly valuable when you're standing outside in November wondering why you haven't bought better gloves.
Work With the Weather
November is a good month to become more selective about when you work the soil.
If beds are saturated, avoid unnecessary cultivation and traffic.
Instead, use dry spells for the jobs that really need to be done outside.
When the weather turns wet, there are plenty of other tasks to get through.
It is much easier to work with the weather when you have a list of alternative jobs ready to go.
Keep Weeds Under Control
Weeds don't necessarily stop just because summer has finished.
Growth may be slower, but weeds can still establish themselves in empty beds and around crops.
Keeping on top of them now can make spring considerably easier.
If conditions allow, deal with small weeds before they become established.
Where beds are finished for the season, consider whether they should be covered, mulched or planted with a suitable cover crop rather than simply left exposed.
Protect the Soil
By November, soil protection becomes increasingly important.
Heavy rainfall can leave bare soil vulnerable to erosion, while repeated foot traffic can cause compaction.
Keep beds covered where appropriate and try to keep people and machinery on established paths.
If a bed doesn't need to be worked, there is often little benefit in disturbing it.
Good soil management in November is partly about knowing when not to interfere.
Check Your Irrigation
It may not be the first thing you think about in November, but irrigation systems still deserve attention.
Check hoses, connectors, filters and other components before winter conditions become more severe.
Depending on your system and location, you may need to drain or protect parts of the irrigation setup from freezing temperatures.
It is much nicer to discover a damaged fitting while doing routine maintenance than when you need the system again in spring.
Give Your Tools Some Attention
November is also a good time to look at the tools that have spent the last few months working hard.
Harvest knives get used constantly. Hoes get knocked around. Forks and spades have been in the soil for months.
Clean them.
Sharpen them.
Repair anything that needs repairing.
Replace anything that is beyond repair.
A few hours spent maintaining tools now can save a surprising amount of frustration when the season starts again.
Look After the Protected Growing Space
Polytunnels, tunnels, fleeces and netting all deserve a check before winter really gets going.
Look for:
- Tears
- Loose fixings
- Damaged netting
- Blocked drainage
- Worn irrigation lines
- Problems with doors or ventilation
Autumn weather has a habit of finding the weak points in anything outdoors.
Use the Darker Days for Planning
The shorter days aren't necessarily a bad thing.
There is usually less pressure to keep up with rapid summer growth, which gives you more time to think.
Look back at the season.
- Which crops performed well?
- Which beds were difficult to manage?
- Where did you spend too much time walking?
- Which tools were used constantly?
- Where did harvesting slow you down?
- These observations are useful while they're still fresh.
November Isn't the End
There is a tendency to think of the market gardening year as finishing once the main summer crops have gone.
But November is really a transition.
Some crops are still being harvested, winter crops are establishing, soil is being protected and the foundations for next season are already being put in place.
The market garden might look quieter. It isn't necessarily less busy. It's just a different kind of busy.