Allotment wisdom ‘little and often’ – ‘digging for victory’.
People were complaining on ‘You and Yours’ today about being thrown off their allotments. Don’t let it happen to you!
It’s not too late, start again right now! Bung some black plastic over the weeds and put some bricks on it to hold it down…it could be a different story in the spring!
If not perhaps just best give up and let someone who really wants it have it?
As you can see I was digging up potatoes yesterday. Whoops only 6… think the slugs must have had a field day. Had planted six tiny sprouts, got three worth eating but one was a whopper! Currently £2 in Asda but it’s the joy of it all… and look at the parsnips WOW!
Apparently for some people it is too much like hard work. Well maybe too many gardening programmes make it look just too easy, but honestly a small allotment can be manageable, if yours is too big, ask for a smaller one, or share it with a friend.
Alan and I have had our field with a leaky pond laughingly called an allotment for 13 months now and transformed it, with hardly any digging and a bit of tender loving care . My mother and I had one together in South London for the last ten years of her life so we had to make sure it was all easy! See my other blog ‘forloveofmyallotment.wordpress.com’ for back story on that and slow progress on this one! These are our crops today!
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On this one in Brighton some basic investment was necessary! We had the ‘field’ rotivated for £30, covered it with black plastic £30, cut out beds and made paths with free bark chippings, re-lined the pond £40, bought a secondhand shed £50. Seeds, half price (they always last for longer than they say on the packet) veg plants often reduced!
With 4 hours a week in Spring and Summer in 2 hour blocks, (yes I’ve had discs removed so I know about aching backs!) and 2 hours a week in winter. we take it really easy but always return with something to eat.
We meet people. We watch the frog and the newts climb back in the newly lined pond in the spring, We sit in the sun in the summer. No ours it not a ‘designer’ allotment, no special green wellies, no greenhouse and we don’t want to be told how to do it from various clever clogs here or on TV. But I do ring Joe Talbot on ‘digit’ on radio Sussex from time to time…that programme is a gem whether you like gardening and allotments or not!
But generally if we don’t know we’ll ask an ‘old hand’… there are still some about, or look it up in book from the charity shop.
Allotments were part of ‘digging for victory’ during the war we didn’t have one then granddad had a veg and fruit shop in Goodge Street in London, but I was a ‘war baby’so knew about food shortages.
Monty Don may have teams of people before the cameras get there, who knows, but we love our allotment and get beautiful sunsets thrown in for nothing!
Allotment wisdom ‘little and often’.
Ann Perrin 
Look at you! 🙂 These veggies look fantastic! All that goodness within your reach. I used to be obsessed with vegetable gardening when I was a kid. This brings back great memories… Great free therapy too!
Gosh.. praise indeed and from a well respected chef, hope you looked at the post before this one, it was Happy Christmas in 35 seconds and obviously especially for you!
Had my blog for 18 months and may have 10.000 hits by Christmas, not so many followers but loads of hits, but then I don’t post yummy things to eat…Lots of love Annx
I didn’t see the Christmas 35 seconds post… Send it to me:)