I want to do something a little bit different from the traditional Allotment Diary format this time around. Rather than reflecting on the last month of the allotment, I thought it would be good to take you on a words-and-pictures tour of the plot. This is how the allotment is at the start of September 2024 and I’ll explain a bit about what is growing, … Continue reading Allotment Diary – A Late Summer Plot Tour
This is a bumper edition of the allotment diaries, combining June and July into one recap. After a difficult monthly update at the end of May – in truth, it was more like the middle of June when I got around to publishing it – I want to try to focus on the small wins this time around, not look at how tough things have … Continue reading Allotment Diary – June and July 2024
It was all a bit of a struggle in May and I know I am not alone in saying that. This will probably be a shorter-than-usual allotment update as it feels like things went awry last month. However, as I show off the things that go well, I need to admit the failures and talk about what has been going wrong. This has been a … Continue reading Allotment Diary – May 2024
April seemed to come and go at a rapid pace. Thankfully, when I reflect on the goings-on down the allotment, it was a very satisfying month – especially due to the fact it was a time of increased planting and sowing. The first early potatoes went in at the end of March. Following in April were both the second early varieties of ‘Charlotte’ and ‘Estima’ and … Continue reading Allotment Diary – April 2024
After what felt like a slow start to the year, at least March seemed like strides were taken forward. Yes, the weather still wasn’t ideal, and the rain didn’t go away, but at least it felt like stuff got done. As spring starts rolling around, and you do get those sunnier days starting, the to-do list does start getting longer and it is always enjoyable … Continue reading Allotment Diary – March 2024
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 … Continue reading Allotment Diary – February 2024
The first blog post in a new series of allotment diaries – discover what has been going on, growing, harvested, and planted on the allotment in January 2024 Continue reading Allotment Diary – January 2024
Would you like healthy and strong plants? Crops that aren’t destroyed by pests? And a bountiful harvest of produce? If your answer is yes to any of these (and who wouldn’t want all three) then maybe it is time to consider taking a close look at companion planting. Anyone growing vegetables at home, or on an allotment, can take advantage of it. Companion planting is … Continue reading Companion Planting for Fruit & Vegetables
So comes the end of another eventful year in horticulture for me. It has been one full of success, lots of learning, and ultimately a year ending with an exciting new chapter in my gardening journey. I just wanted to take this opportunity to briefly cast my eye back on the last 12 months to pick out some of my personal highlights. After the disappointments … Continue reading Gardening Reflections ’21
It is miserable to see your plot sitting waterlogged after periods of heavy rain. This is something we are faced with now after a prolonged period of wet weather, but there are ways to successfully manage a plot with such drainage issues. The weather so far this year has been cold and wintry, with the UK Met Office saying January 2021 was the coldest January on record for … Continue reading How to Deal With a Waterlogged Allotment
Perennial Nerd 