Welcome to my blog, “Digging the Earth”! You might be wondering about the name and what it means. Well, if you haven’t already guessed, it has two meanings that reflect the heart of this blog. First, there’s the literal meaning. As a gardener, “Digging the Earth” represents the hands-on work of planting, nurturing, and growing…
This year, National Allotments Week (12th – 18th of August) is all about biodiversity—celebrating our allotments’ rich variety of life. Allotments aren’t just for growing vegetables; they’re vital havens for wildlife, supporting pollinators, insects, and other creatures contributing to a healthy ecosystem. I’m excited to join in this celebration by highlighting how our plots contribute…
I don’t know about you, but I have a tendency to ‘slack off’ with my sowing once summer hits, leaving me with a sparse vegetable patch come the Autumn months. As I begin to harvest my beetroot, spinach, and kohl rabi, some empty spots of ground are appearing in my garden vegetable beds. In my…
I managed another couple of hours at the plot this morning. Armed with my trusty strimmer, I tackled some overgrown areas (there were lots to choose from). As usual, some patches proved particularly stubborn, with thick weeds and nettles that required the extra muscle of my pruning shears! It’s hard work, but I can see…
The first steps will be to tackle the overgrowth and bring the allotment back to its former glory, or maybe even better than before! I’ll share the ups and downs, the progress, and the joy of reclaiming the plot.
Winter digging is basically turning over the soil during winter (removing weeds as you go) in preparation for the upcoming growing season. Some gardeners on our allotment site are avid winter diggers, others prefer the no-dig method and some, like me, do a bit of both.
Just as we embarked on raised bed gardening, as if meant to be, we were gifted two large wooden raised beds from a lovely allotment neighbour.