Fresh from the plot

With the arrival of chilly weather, this season’s crops are all but over... with the exception of Rekha’s precious saffron harvest perfect for her deliciously warming cardamom loaf

There's no doubt about it: we're now definitely into November. I'm wrapping the scarf around my neck just that little bit tighter and there's a woolly hat snuggled securely around my ears, but when it comes to gardening, the gloves are off! I love the feeling of soil moving through my bare hands. It's not really that cold, once I get into the rhythm of digging and turning the last patch of soil where the squashes grew. I've been putting off the job of washing out plant pots, but it will have to be done over the coming month before the water supply to the allotment site is shut off over winter. I stack and store them in the shed and whilst I'm in there, give the inside of the shed a good tidy up, too.

The big oak tree has finally dropped all its leaves, and I stow a few barrow-loads of them into my make-do-and-mend leafmould pen. The cold rain, frost and even snow will help to break it all down. Another task ticked off.

Soon, I can down tools and allow the plot to rest over its hibernation period. As for what I plan to do... rest assured, my fingers and thumbs won't be idle all winter, with all those seed catalogues to flick through!

How I grow Saffron

It's humbling to learn how the flower of a small corm produces the most expensive spice in the world- and that I can grow it here! Only Crocus sativus, an autumnflowering crocus, produces the high-quality spice, saffron.

Although they grow well outdoors in the ground, the soil on my plot is heavy clay, and we have colonies of squirrels that do not leave any crocus alone, so I prefer using terracotta pots in the greenhouse.