National Allotment Week 2020. day five. Friday 14th August
In an ideal world, every allotmenteer would take over in the Autumn or the Spring which are best suited to kick start work. May is not the best time but nonetheless, it worked for me. Having been let loose on such a large area is exciting but also a challenge. Most have grown some veg at home but more likely on a small scale. What I did resist the temptation to do was to blitz 106 and try to create something that takes months, in a fortnight. I did that by setting myself target area to get ready on each visit and stick to that. By September the whole plot was tamed. As the main idea on an allotment is to grow food ( there are other important ones too, that I will explore in a later post ) by the end of June, I had planted runner beans ( a social media buddy gave me a tray of plants ), a couple of courgettes, some late potatoes ( somebody, Unknown left a bag of chitterlings tubers on my doormat ) and some sweetcorn. Over the first year, they were joined by swedes, turnips, pak choi, broad beans, celery, tomatoes and peas. My principles for the crop management are 1. Not to grow for bulk but for seasonal eating with any gluts frozen or preserved 2. To grow all plants from seed and tubers that have not been been hybridised, with a focus on " heritage " varieties used for their flavour 3. No use of any chemical weed killers, or " pest controls " 4. Whilst having a modicum of rotation, not to get hung up about that but rather to grow blocks of plants together, rather than rows 5. To explore companion planting; planting flowers and non edible plants for that effect, and their beauty 6. Feed, feed and feed the soil with manures, compost and green manure cultivation 7. To have a mini vineyard with a target of ten bottles for Christmas gifts 2025 ( I am T Total ) 8. To greatly enjoy the physical and emotional benefits provided by 106 Tomorrow, I will give a snapshot on the allotment as it is right now, on Saturday some notes of what others are up to on their plots and we will end National Allotment Week on Sunday with wellbeing and health ....
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AuthorI launched this website on 16th August 2020 to bring together my thoughts on gardening,, its importance for health and wellbeing and two projects running concurrently, a renovation of my own garden on the West Sussex coast at Lancing and a nearby allotment. But also to learn from other gardeners about the inspirations for their plots, about their gardening projects and enjoyment of beautiful plants and gardens Archives
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