August and September seems to be the time to harvest your hard work, and eat!!!!!
Although most of the summer fruits have now gone, there is still plenty to enjoy. Currently I have onions and garlic drying out, potatoes, runner beans, beetroot, peas, red and white cabbages, all for the eating and I love it!
Although at this time of year the allotment is starting to look a bit sparse, the kitchen and freezer within is brimming with allotment goodies.
Once again I am overwhelmed with the continual generosity shared by allotment growers. Always willing to share or barter over their glut and trade with something that they have been unsuccessful in growing. Only this week, our allotment neighbour came over with a huge pumpkin and some home made pumpkin marmalade, in exchange for some potatoes. Apparently her allotment neighbour had been a little over zealous with the ‘round-up’ when spraying his weeds and killed all her crop. I had hoped that allotment growers did not use that kind of destructive stuff anymore, especially over other people’s adjacent crops. Anyway, I was only too pleased to oblige, another shared meal, courtesy of our allotment friends.

1. Making tea (one per cup).

2. In the base of hanging baskets, they release nitrogen as they rot down and retain moisture.

3. In the base of plant pots, they release nitrogen as they rot down and retain moisture. T bags are conveniently a round shape to fit neatly into small pots (one per pot).

4. Dyeing fabric. You will need a lot for this (coffee works well for this too but leaves an ‘I must by this house’ smell on your clothes!).

5. Soaking fruit to make delicious moist cakes. Ideal after all that planting with a nice cup of
tea! (See point 1).

We made initial enquiries with the council about obtaining a plot in August 2010 and acquired our allotment in November 2010 despite the plot being vacant for several years previously and very overgrown. As there were two people interested in plot and only one plot was available we decided to split the plot between us giving us 13 by 10 meters. It is an exposed site with no natural shelter from wind or frost or access to water. The first thing that occurred on the allotment was the siting of the bench; well you have to have somewhere to admire your hard work from. We divided the area into four beds enabling us to have a four year crop rotation plan and set to work clearing Dock’s and other perennial weeds by hand. This turned has out to be a constant battle as at that time of year many of the weeds were dormant and are now emerging amongst young vegetable plants and competing for nutrients. It is easy to see how allotment owners get disheartened when the only plants that are thriving are the weeds.
In order to keep costs down we have opted to grow from seed which has involved the purchase of a 10×8 greenhouse at the house. In the potato bed we chitted and planted early, main and late crops. In the brassica bed we have red and white cabbages, purple sprouting broccoli and cauliflowers. In the legume bed we have onions and garlic inter planted, leeks, peas, runner and broad beans. In the root bed we have parsnips, turnips, carrots, swede and squashes. We have moved from home established fruit bushes gooseberry, raspberry, blackcurrant and rhubarb and my prized globe artichoke to the allotment. Salad leaves, spring onions, beetroot and herbs we are growing at home for ease of access.
The one thing I did not bargain on in getting an allotment is the sense of community and despite the hard work, the fun. Although the site is small its occupants consist of our neighbours, which has enabled us to get to know the people we live amongst. We have started a scarecrow competition which has created a bit of fun and warned off some birds who might have previously feasted on our produce. I have plans for a ‘tallest sunflower competition’ later and of course barbeques/parties.
I am writing my own blog about the allotment’s progress and generally about rural life

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