February was a bit of a tricky month for the allotment, it was another very wet month and it meant that there was not lots of opportunity to do loads. It was either raining when I had free time, or there had been lots of rain prior and it meant the soil was very soggy. The risk of going onto the plot too much when the ground was that wet was that I could easily damage the soil structure and just make a lot of mess. So, it had to pick and choose what I did, and when I did it, and get a bit creative. 

What did I manage to get done at the allotment then? Well, the good news is I could get useful stuff done. I cleared sections and ripped out a lot of vegetables that had overwintered. The bonus of that task was that I got a nice harvest of small carrots, good-sized winter radishes, and a few turnips to bring home with me. There are also still some leeks left to harvest and kale – two crops that have been providing for us for a long time.  

Along with clearing the ground I also managed to get some important weeding done. There are still areas that need clearing and weeding ahead of the new season – but not lots thankfully and I just need the ground to dry out again soon. To help with the weeding I laid cardboard over some areas – and do intend to cover a bit more as I have got a lot of cardboard. I would love to go no-dig but don’t think I can get the compost required to cover such an area. But I’ll let the cardboard smother weeds and maybe start doing sections at a time no-dig, or the cardboard can just go into the compost.  

I was generously gifted a large old rhubarb clump from a fellow allotment holder, which was substantial enough that I could split it into three sections to plant. Adding these clumps to the three dormant crowns I planted last month, and it makes a good rhubarb selection for years to come – and the ones I planted in January are starting to shoot already, which is very promising.  

To add to the existing fruit, I bought a selection of bare-root strawberry plants. The plan was to get these onto the plot during February, though the weather didn’t play ball, so I potted them up. They will happily sit growing in the cold frame until they get planted onto the plot in a few weeks. I did the same with some onion sets I got, instead of them getting planted last month I have started them in module trays to transplant them come March. 

In the cold frame, along with the strawberries and onions, are broad beans that I have sowed, and some sweet peas. The seed sowing will start to ramp up in March as the light levels and temperatures increase this month.  

I got some Jerusalem artichoke and Oca tubers in February to plant during March as well, two crops that I think I am going to plant into large bags on the allotment – as they can easily spread. They are both crops I have grown at work before, but never on a home allotment, and I wanted to add a few different things to the plot this year. 

One staple crop that is seen on every allotment is potatoes, and, like most plot holders across the country, I have got my potatoes chitting on the windowsill at home. I am growing five different types this year, which will be more than enough to keep us going. I have two first earlies, Swift and Home Guard, as well as two second earlies, Charlotte and Estima, and Pink Fir Apple as the main crop. Home Guard and Estima are two new varieties for me, so I am interested to see how they go. The first of the potatoes will start to be planted from mid-to-late March, depending on the weather.  

The main objective for March is to get the last of the clearing and weeding done – and the planting plan for the growing season nailed down. Currently, there are two paths, laid with weed suppressant fabric, running up the allotment, but I am tempted to remove one to extend the main growing beds by around a metre. A lot more seed sowing will take place in March too and, due to space limitations on windowsills and in a small cold frame, I’ll need to work out what gets started as transplants and what gets direct sown.  

I said at the start there was not the opportunity to do loads in February, though when I outline it all here it does sound like stuff got done – whether it was on the allotment itself or preparatory tasks at home. I am happy with the progress as things are taking shape, though here’s to the weather perking up in March.