Allotment Starter

December may feel like a sleepy month on the allotment, but it’s one of the most important times for setting up a successful year ahead and completing December allotment jobs will set you up for a successful summer. From protecting soil to pruning fruit trees, these winter jobs ensure your plot is healthier, more productive, and easier to manage come spring.

Winter Maintenance Jobs

Clear dead growth & tidy beds

• Remove any remaining stems of beans, peas, courgettes, and brassicas—leaving them over winter invites pests and fungal diseases.
• Chop healthy plant material into small pieces to help it compost faster.
• For diseased plants (e.g., blight, clubroot), dispose of them off-site—never compost them.
• Pull up old annual weeds before they set seed next year.

Weed while growth is slow

• Winter weeds like chickweed, bittercress, and speedwell germinate fast but are tender—easy to pull or hoe.
• Tackling weeds now prevents them becoming a dense mat by spring.
• A sharp hoe on a dry day is enough to sever roots and leave them to dry.

Repair and treat woodwork

• Check raised beds for rot—replace damaged boards before spring growth.
• Treat timber with an eco-friendly preservative on a dry day.
• Inspect fencing, sheds, gates, and cold frames for loose panels or leaks that winter winds might worsen.
• Check roofing felt on sheds and patch any tears to prevent water damage.

Check tools & store properly

• Scrape off soil, wash tools, and dry thoroughly to prevent rust.
• Sharpen secateurs, loppers, shovels, and hoes—sharp tools make spring work easier.
• Apply a thin coat of oil to metal parts to prevent corrosion.
• Drain hoses, remove spray guns, and coil them neatly indoors to avoid frost damage.

Mulch beds

• Spread 5–10cm of compost, leaf mould, manure, or soil improver.
• Mulching regulates soil temperature, feeds soil life, reduces erosion, and suppresses weeds.
• Earthworms will draw organic material down over winter, improving soil structure naturally.

What You Can Still Plant in December

Plant outdoors

• Garlic: Choose hardneck or softneck varieties suited to cold conditions. Plant cloves 2–3 inches deep, pointy end up. Cold weather helps garlic form good bulbs.
• Broad beans: Hardy types like Aquadulce Claudia withstand frost. Sow directly in the ground, spacing seeds 20–25cm apart. Early sowing gives strong plants that crop earlier next summer.
• Onions/Shallots: Autumn-planting sets (like ‘Radar’ or ‘Electric’) can still go in if the soil is workable. Plant gently and don’t push sets in—birds may pull them up but just replant.

Plant under cover (greenhouse, cold frame, polytunnel)

• Winter salads: Lamb’s lettuce, mizuna, mustard greens, and winter lettuce varieties thrive in low light and cold. Sow shallowly and cut leaves regularly.
• Pea shoots: Sow dried peas in trays, cover lightly with compost, and harvest tender shoots for salads.
• Herbs: Parsley, chervil, and coriander grow slowly but steadily in protection.

Force rhubarb

• Cover a mature rhubarb crown with a bin, terracotta pot, or forcing jar.
• Exclude light to encourage early, pale, tender stems ready from late winter.
• Do not force the same crown every year to avoid exhausting it.consider a covered storage area using pallets or plastic boxes.

Soil Preparation for Next Year

Protect the soil

• Cover empty areas with cardboard or weed membrane to prevent winter weeds.
• Add compost or manure before covering to create a warm, moist environment for worms.
• Avoid walking on bare soil in wet weather—this causes compaction.

No-dig preparation

• Add a thick (5–10cm) layer of mulch on top of existing soil or weeds.
• No digging helps soil structure, increases biodiversity, and reduces annual weeds.
• The soil will be ready for planting with minimal disturbance in spring.

Plan crop rotation

• Map out your beds and note where this year’s crops were grown.
• Rotate crops annually to prevent nutrient depletion and reduce pests/diseases like clubroot or carrot fly.
• A simple 4-bed rotation helps:
  • Bed 1: Brassicas (cabbages, kale, broccoli)
  • Bed 2: Legumes (beans, peas)
  • Bed 3: Roots (carrots, beetroot, parsnips)
  • Bed 4: Potatoes and squash

Winter Pruning & Fruit Care

Prune fruit trees (not stone fruits)

• Prune apples and pears now while they are dormant.
• Remove dead, diseased, and crossing branches.
• Aim for an open, goblet shape to improve airflow and reduce fungal problems.
• Do not prune cherries, plums, peaches, or apricots in winter due to silver leaf disease risk.

Cut back autumn-fruiting raspberries

• Autumn raspberries fruit on the current year’s canes—cut all canes to ground level.
• Apply mulch after pruning to feed the plants for spring.

Mulch fruit bushes

• Add 5–7cm of compost around currants, gooseberries, and raspberries.
• Keep mulch away from the base of stems to prevent rot.
• This boosts root health and reduces moisture loss in spring.

Clean around fruit trees

• Remove fallen leaves and debris that harbour pests like apple scab or codling moth.
• Add grease bands around trunks to stop winter moth females climbing to lay eggs.

Prepare for Next Year’s Growing Season

Start planning your seed list

• Look through seed catalogues and note varieties suited to your soil type and climate.
• Prioritise:
  • Crops you enjoy eating
  • Reliable beginner crops
  • High-value produce (e.g., soft fruit, salad leaves)
• Order early—January is peak demand and many favourites sell out.

Map out your plot

• Draw a simple diagram of where each crop will grow next year.
• Identify where you may need:
  • Bean supports
  • Netting
  • A new compost bin
  • A greenhouse or cold frame
• Planning now reduces spring overwhelm.

Check your compost

• Turn compost heaps to add air and speed decomposition.
• Mix “browns” (cardboard, dry leaves) with “greens” (kitchen scraps, grass) for balance.
• If the heap is dry, lightly water it; if too wet, add shredded cardboard.

Set up wildlife helpers

• Install bird feeders—blue tits and robins help control pests in spring.
• Create log piles or twig bundles for beneficial insects.
• Add a small pond or water dish to support amphibians, which eat slugs.

Take Time to Enjoy the Quiet Season

December is the perfect month for gentle, reflective tasks:

• Appreciate the peace—your plot is resting, and you can, too.
• Walk the plot after rain to see where water pools—this helps with future bed planning.
• Watch how the winter sun hits your plot and note areas of shade/shelter.
• Make a list of winter jobs for January and February.

December may be a quieter month on the allotment, but it’s full of opportunities to lay strong foundations for the year ahead. From protecting and enriching your soil to pruning fruit, planning next year’s crops, and giving your tools some much-needed attention, the winter months provide the perfect chance to reset, refresh, and prepare. By taking the time now to tidy, repair, and plan, you’ll step into spring with confidence—and a plot that’s ready to burst into life.

Remember, allotment growing isn’t just about productivity; it’s about enjoying the rhythm of the seasons, noticing the small changes, and finding satisfaction in slow, steady progress. So bundle up, take a flask to the plot, and embrace the calm of winter. Your future harvests will thank you for the care you put in now.

What to Read Next 

• January Allotment Jobs (Next Month) 
• Allotment Jobs Month by Month
• Plan My Plot
• DIY Allotment Projects

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