It’s March 18th and Day 1 of my allotment year… I had intended to get here a little sooner, but to be fair the ground has only actually been defrosted for about a week and so 3 months after FINALLY getting my allotment here I am digging!
It’s actually a really big space and already had lots of blackcurrant or blackberry bushes (not sure which and ‘old allotment hands’ opinion on species differ). I’m happy with either – I see jam, pie, crumble… custard…. cream…
It also has a large rhubarb patch – which I’m trying to resist digging up (due to possible child eating toxic leaves scenario) I shall ponder it…
And lots of scraggy strawberry plants make up strawberry corner. The rest a big blank canvas which I cannot wait to get planted up!
Allotment Day 2 commences tomorrow with weeding, garden centre visiting and of course seeking advice from Alan Titchmarsh in the form of The Kitchen Gardener.
Is an allotment a share of a community garden?
I have a raised vegetable bed in my yard. I really need to start weeding it out. Maybe I’ll weed with you tomorrow.
This allotment is from my local Allotment Society – so not really community gardens – it’s a ‘society’ pay fees, attend meetings, vote on things you never thought you’d have to even think about… such as ‘unapproved pond building’ and the like. It’s a whole other world through those allotment gates. Local councils usually run allotments too but they have enormous waiting lists, the little private ones tend to have shorter waits, but stricter rules! – Thanks for blog comments
Good for you. I went on a list for an allotment where we used to live. I went on the list in 2006 and got an email in 2009 asking if I was still interested and did I want to be taken off the list. Er no! Now I have a garden, so will be making a veg patch for me and girls to dig in!
I wouldn’t dig up the rhubarb. I’ve introduced all five of mine to our allotment over the years, some from tiny babies and they never tried to eat the leaves.
Just teach them never to put anything in their mouths without checking with you first (because, y’know, it’ll be hard to resist those juicy strawberries and the raspberries…..).
Good luck!
How excitting
I planted potatoes the other day. But stopped there as we might have to move! I can’t wait until one day I know I am staying somewhere long enough to grow some veggies!
Blackcurrants and blackberries are very different plants. If you have wild blackberries they will take over so zap them now!
Well I thought that blackberries were quite brambly, prickly and straggly vine type plants – so i’m pretty sure these are blackcurrants despite the debate of the allotment old timers
Wow that is exciting! My OH is well in to growing veggies in our back garden. I reap the benefits by getting to cook with them. It’s amazing to eat lettuces that actually have a taste. And the potatoes are just amazing. Hope you will be keeping us up-to-date on your progess through the blog.
Good luck for the year!
I’m going to follow and see how you get on. I’ve had an allotment for a couple of years and have done a little more each year, but my studies have been the first priority, so I still feel very much like a beginner.
Best of luck. And enjoy
Thanks for taking the time to comment! I’m going to keep the allotment simple this year I think… potatoes, broccoli, strawberries easy things – just to get a feel for how much time is needed really!
I really admire you for doing this; I would love to be able to go outside and just dig and grow but I’m useless. It’ll be interesting to follow your progress.
CJ xx