There have been times when I’ve walked through the allotment gate and felt completely overwhelmed. The paths had disappeared beneath long grass. Weeds had taken hold in beds that were once productive. Seed packets sat untouched in the shed, and jobs seemed to multiply every time I looked around. Standing there, it was easy to…
When people picture an allotment, they often imagine neat rows of vegetables, baskets of fresh produce and peaceful afternoons spent pottering among the plants. The reality can be very different. Many allotment holders experience periods of overwhelm, yet it is rarely talked about. Social media and gardening magazines tend to focus on the successes, but…
The rush of spring is over. The allotment, once bursting with urgent tasks and sprouting life, now seems to exhale. It’s mid-summer. The beds are almost full, the weeds are incredibly persistent, and the heat, it seems, is quite consistent. This is the part of the year I call the lull. Not quite harvest, not…
As the days get shorter and the temperatures drop, many gardeners pack away their tools for the season. But winter doesn’t have to mean the end of growing. Overwintering vegetables are a great way to keep your allotment productive through the colder months, and they offer the added bonus of being some of the easiest…
Well, autumn has certainly settled into Derbyshire! I was hoping for a few more BBQs, but I think it’s time to hang up my tongs for the year and accept my rain poncho as part of my daily outfit! At the plot, summer crops are ending, but there’s still plenty of work to be done…
It’s taken many fits and starts but I think I’m back on track and becoming more organised, I have been writing my column for The Derbyshire Times again! Writing has always been a passion of mine, especially when it allows me to combine my love for a the allotment and and speaking realistically about mental…
It’s seems as if summer disappeared the very minute the kids returned to school this year, it’s safe to say we are well in to the winter approach! It might feel like the gardening season is winding down. However, autumn is an ideal time to plan and plant overwintering vegetables that will keep your allotment productive throughout winter and into early spring, with illness over the summer, I’m really keen to get as much veg back into the plot as possible whilst I’m still playing catch up!