Should You Winterise an Allotment?

As autumn fades and the nights draw in, many plot holders ask: what should I do with my allotment over winter?
Should you dig, add manure, plant green manures, or cover the soil?

Winterising isn’t about putting your plot to bed—it’s about protecting soil structure, conserving nutrients, and giving yourself a head start for spring. Here’s a complete guide to preparing your allotment for the colder months, including no-dig methods, frost protection, composting, and crop care.

Why Winterising Matters

Winterising your plot protects the soil from erosion, nutrient loss, and weeds, while supporting soil life that keeps your allotment fertile. Frost, wind, and heavy rain can damage exposed beds, so a little preparation now saves a lot of work later.

To Dig or Not to Dig?

Traditionally, gardeners turn over soil and dig in manure before winter. While this can work, it disturbs soil life and exposes microbes to frost.

The no-dig method is a modern alternative: feed the soil from above rather than disturbing it.

How to winterise using no-dig:

Clear spent crops, leaving roots in place to feed soil microbes.
Remove perennial weeds.
Spread a thick mulch of compost, leaf mould, or well-rotted manure over the surface.
Let worms and soil organisms naturally incorporate organic matter over winter.

No-dig winterising means spring beds are rich and ready to plant without back-breaking digging.

Using Manure in Winter

Well-rotted manure can be spread over beds to improve fertility.
Avoid fresh manure on root crops like carrots and parsnips; it may cause forked growth.
In no-dig systems, simply lay manure on top rather than digging it in.
Cover exposed manure with cardboard or compost to prevent nutrient loss.

$Manure and Wheelbarrow$

Green Manures & Cover Crops