Covering up for winter

[Essexboy]

Already thinking about sheeting down for winter, recommendations for preparing the ground before covering would be appreciated.

[ameno]

If the ground is clear this early, wouldn't you be better off sowing a green manure of some sort instead?

[annie8]

Do you not want to keep growing over the winter period - there are crops that will grow through and make use of your space? I know people used to put the garden to bed but I didn’t think it was as common now.

[burnie]

I usually wait till the Polar Bears arrive................................................................most of my stuff is still a long way away from harvesting yet.

[Nicos]

We are going to use the cut and drop method in areas we won’t be growing over winter.

Cutting the plant at their base, leaving the roots to rot down and improve the soil structure and laying the chopped up plant on the surface to rot down in situ. Then we’ll cover all that in a layer of straw held down with twine stretched across the top to stop it blowing away.
Not tried that method before but I’m hoping it doesn’t interfere as much with the balance of the soil ecosystem as much as pulling everything up and composting it.
Obviously anything diseased will be pulled up and destroyed - probably by burning.

[Essexboy]

It’s a large plot and I have already got all my winter veg planted up and growing nicely, however, there are areas that I need to cover so I’m looking for the best solutions.

[Nicos]

I’d suggest organic straw.
Failing that, we’ve used black,porous weed suppressing membrane in the past as it lets the rainwater through , suppresses the weeds and being black helps the soil warm up in the spring. Bit it’s not cheap…and it’s plastic. But it can be stored away and used for many years - and doesn’t tear in high winds .

[rary]

I would do as Nicos has said, cover with straw and hold it down a net or wire mesh, if covering with weed supressent membrane I would scatter some BFB or chicken pellets over the ground first then cover

[Nicos]

If you use straw - make sure it’s organic!
Many farmers use herbicides on their wheat/ barley crops and that would affect your plants.

After the Aminopyralid problems a few years ago I will only use organic straw and manure.