November on the allotment.
Weeds and using a hoe.
Cooking up home grown apples.
Now is a good time to tackle the weeds that may have germinated since you removed most of the crops. That is if you can get onto the allotment without ruining the soil, you can put a board down to stand on if you do not have a path nearby to use.
I find that the amount of moisture in the soil (mine is sandy soil) at this time of year makes using a hoe on the weeds easier and effective.
I struggled when first started to use a hoe on the allotment soil, and years ago when this happened someone had to explain he best method to do this task.
I tend to think of using a hoe on the allotment soil, as mostly you are gliding the hoe over the surface of the soil. Sometimes it requires a little bit more of a vigourous approach and occasionally it is even more energetic, usually this is with older weeds or more deep rooted ones. At such times you may need to resort to using a garden fork especially for older perennial type weeds who like to get their roots down deep.
The small just germinated weeds get turned over and eliminated and things like new small clumps of grass I attack more those vigorously, sometimes the edge of the hoe and then lift them off the soil by hand. I have a feeling that the grass might re-establish itself if just left sitting on the surface of the soil in the way that I do leave the annual weed seedlings.
Other allotment things to do for November on dry days.
There are lots of tidying jobs that can be tackled on dry days and somethings that should have been done in the earlier months can be caught up with on milder weather days. Wrap up warm and vary the jobs you do to protect your health and I think the fresh air and exercise is me and possibly you will find this is true for you too. Anyway, things to do now, back soon with up dates.
I am cooking my way through some of the small but tasty apples from my tree. Th really small apples (not marble sized but certainly not shop sized ones as the tree is young) are being used in cooking tasty flapjacks and also for grating into porridge oats, to cook up for breakfast time.
I might add a recipe or two of my own here soon, just keen on making sure they work well every time, before I share.
