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Top 10 Allotment Jobs to Do This Autumn

Introduction

Autumn is one of the most important and rewarding times on the allotment. While summer crops are coming to an end, there’s still plenty to do to keep your plot productive and well-prepared for the year ahead. From harvesting and planting to soil care and tidying, the jobs you complete now will ensure success next spring.

This guide covers the top 10 allotment jobs to do this autumn, helping you make the most of the season and set yourself up for a thriving garden.

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1. Harvest Remaining Crops

Autumn is harvest season, and many summer crops reach their peak at this time.

• Lift maincrop potatoes before frost damages them.
• Harvest pumpkins, squashes, and late courgettes.
• Pick apples, pears, and plums before they fall and bruise.
• Gather carrots, beetroot, and parsnips for storage.

✅ Store potatoes in hessian sacks, keep squashes in a cool, dry place, and use excess produce for preserving.

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2. Plant Garlic and Onion Sets

Autumn is the best time to plant overwintering alliums.

• Plant garlic cloves in October–November for a summer harvest.
• Plant onion sets (Radar, Shakespeare, Electric, Troy) for an early crop next June.
• Ensure well-drained soil to avoid rot over the wet winter.

✅ Space garlic 15cm apart and onions 10cm apart, planting 2–3cm deep.

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3. Sow Broad Beans and Peas

These hardy legumes can be sown in autumn for an early spring crop.

• Varieties like Aquadulce Claudia (broad beans) and Meteor (peas) are ideal.
• Sow directly into prepared soil in October–November.
• Protect with cloches or fleece to give seedlings a head start.

✅ Early sowings reduce spring workload and bring earlier harvests.

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4. Prepare Beds for Winter

Autumn is the time to improve soil health.

• Dig in well-rotted compost or manure.
• Sow green manures such as clover, rye, or field beans.
• Cover empty beds with cardboard or fleece to suppress weeds.

✅ Good soil preparation now means healthier crops next year.

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5. Plant Fruit Trees and Bushes

Cool, moist autumn soil is perfect for planting fruit.

• Plant bare-root apple, pear, plum, and cherry trees.
• Add currant bushes, raspberries, and gooseberries.
• Stake young trees to protect them from strong winds.

✅ Plant now to allow roots to establish before spring growth.

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6. Tidy and Mulch Perennial Beds

Perennials need a little attention before winter.

• Cut back old growth on rhubarb and asparagus beds.
• Mulch crowns with compost or manure to protect from frost.
• Remove weeds to reduce spring competition.

✅ Rhubarb especially benefits from a thick autumn mulch.

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7. Look After Your Compost Heap

Autumn is the season of fallen leaves and dead plants — perfect composting material.

• Add leaves, vegetable waste, and grass cuttings.
• Balance “greens” (nitrogen-rich) with “browns” (carbon-rich like cardboard).
• Turn the heap to mix and aerate.

✅ Make leaf mould by storing bagged leaves separately — a great soil improver.

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8. Protect Tender Plants

Some crops and plants won’t survive a UK winter without help.

• Lift and store dahlia tubers once frosts blacken the leaves.
• Bring pots of tender herbs like basil indoors.
• Use fleece or cloches to protect salads, late courgettes, or young beans.

✅ Protection now saves you replanting in spring.

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9. Clean and Organise Tools, Sheds, and Greenhouses

Autumn is the perfect time to tidy up.

• Wash greenhouse glass to maximise winter light.
• Disinfect pots and seed trays to prevent disease.
• Clean, sharpen, and oil tools ready for spring.
• Store hoses and watering cans to prevent frost damage.

✅ A tidy shed and clean tools save time when sowing season begins.

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10. Support Wildlife on Your Plot

Wildlife plays a huge role in allotment health.

• Put up bird feeders with seeds and fat balls.
• Build a hedgehog house for natural slug control.
• Leave some seed heads and fallen leaves for insects and pollinators.

✅ A wildlife-friendly plot reduces pests and boosts pollination next year.

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Conclusion

Autumn is a season of transition, but it’s also one of the most productive times on the allotment. By harvesting the last crops, planting garlic and onions, preparing soil, and caring for wildlife, you’re laying the groundwork for success in the year ahead.

Focus on these top 10 autumn allotment jobs, and your plot will thrive through winter and be ready for a strong start in spring.

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Top 10 Questions About Autumn Allotment Jobs

1. What vegetables should I plant on my allotment in autumn?
Garlic, onions, broad beans, peas, and winter salads.

2. Can I still sow seeds in October?
Yes, hardy crops like broad beans and spinach can still be sown.

3. When should I harvest pumpkins and squashes?
Before the first frost, when skins are hard and stems turn woody.

4. Do I need to dig my allotment over in autumn?
Yes, digging or adding compost improves soil structure before winter.

5. Should I plant fruit trees in autumn or spring?
Autumn is best for bare-root trees, as roots establish in cool soil.

6. Can I compost fallen leaves?
Yes, but they’re best used for leaf mould by storing separately.

7. Do I need to protect autumn-sown onions from frost?
They’re hardy, but a light mulch or fleece helps in very cold regions.

8. Should I tidy my greenhouse in autumn?
Yes, cleaning glass and disinfecting trays prevents winter diseases.

9. How do I help wildlife on my allotment in autumn?
Provide food, shelter, and undisturbed areas for birds and insects.

10. Is autumn a good time to plan next year’s allotment?
Yes, it’s ideal to reflect, sketch layouts, and order seeds early.

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