[Welsh Merf]

As far as I understand, with the knowledge that I've gained through reading books, talking to people and visiting this wonderful website, the idea of turning over the ground in autumn is so that the winter frost breaks up the earth.

In the last three years since I've had my allotment I can't remember there being any frost hard enough to do this work; instead we've had rain, and lots of it. I'm presuming that the concept is to have dry and frosty winters - when did we last experience anything like that?

Therefore, my question is why do I bother digging over the plot in autumn, instead of waiting until spring?

It's just a thought that's been puzzling me for a while, so any comments/answers would be interesting.

[New shoot]

Frost will break up soil, but as you say, in a mild winter you don't get too much benefit from this.  I still find that digging over now is much easier work and the soil is far better to work come the spring.

My plot is clay based so gets pretty solid if left over winter without digging.  If you are on sandy soil, it may not be worth digging unless you are doing so to incorporate organic matter 

[Goosegirl]

Not a lot of frost here over the last few winters so, unless you need to dig in manure or compost, I'd layer them over the top and let the still-active worms take it iin over winter. It also means you won't be treading on wet soil which would compact it and make it hard to dig later.

[andimac]

From what I have read, it is good if you have particularly clay heavy soil as the frost action will help to disaggregate the clods. I have noticed that if it is dug over too soon, I end up with a waterlogged quagmire but up here, there are always frosts so it (theoretically) breaks down the lumps. We do get plenty of dry frosty days though so perhaps it works more than I think.
My own preference is to dig in manure in autumn where needed and then to level the ground off as much as possible and to mulch the other non-manured beds and leave be. Sometimes it can be frozen hard with early frosts (there's been a few already) so there's no choice but to leave it alone till spring
My main digging is done in spring so if you don't have too much clay where you are, I wouldn't be too concerned about turning it over before any possible frosts unless you need to add in some organic content.

[mumofstig]

On my soil I don't ever deep dig any more.
I just found, over time, that it's easier just to weed and fork over my beds as each crop finishes, tip with compost or manure and cover with weed fabric. This stays on 'til the bed is needed in Spring, revealing soft, warm, weed-free soil ready for sowing or planting.

All the beds, except one of winter savoy cabbage and swede and one of leeks, are already covered - works for me.....

 

[theothermarg]

So surely it's better to dig over as the ground clears in case you get frosts !  Not got experience of fine sandy soil because always had clay but I've found the raid breaks it down anyway and ground is easier to keep weed free.
Also next years brassicas benefit from being planted in fairly compacted soil with the manure being added in the autumn